24 

C3 
A3 

•>to.87-88 


124  INDEX. 

t    .^  Page 

Spodumene    — — 4  4 

Stannite    ;)6 

State  Mining  Bureau  Activities -- . 9-11 

General  Information  Bureau 9 

Liaboratory     9 

Library    9 

Museum     — 10 

Petroleum  and  Gas,  Department  of 10 

Publications '. 9 

Statistical  Department 10 

War    activities    : — 11 

Statistical    Department — 10 

Stibnite -- 14 

Strontianite    91 

Strontium     90 

Sulphur    92 

Sulphuric   Acid 81 

Talc    . 94 

Tetrahedrite    34 

Thenardite 88 

Tile     31 

Tin     95 

Topaz     44 

Tourmaline 44 

Trona    88 

Tungsten 97 

Ulexite    24 

Vanadinite 100 

Vanadium     99 

Volcanic  ash 78 

Tuff   79 

War  Activities  of  State  Mining  Bureau 11 

Willemite    102 

Witherite 21 

Wolframite 98 

Wulfenite 54,   64 

Zinc     : 101 

Zincite 102 


w 


CALIFORNIA    STATE    MIISING    BUREAU 

FERRY  BUILDING,  SAN  FRANCISCO 
FLETCHER  HAMILTON  State  Mint 

San  Francisco]  BULLETIN  No.  88  [July,  1920 


California 

Mineral  Production 

lor  1919 


WITH   COUNTY   MAPS 


CALIFOIIMIA    STATK   PRINTING   OITICi: 


LIBRARY 


OF  THE 

UNITED  STATES 
DEPARTMENT  OF  AGRICULTURE 


1.   S.    GOVBKVMEXT  PRINTIVO  OFFICK:   1027        8 1577 


CALIFORNIA    STATE    MINING    BUREAU 

FERRY  BUILDING,    SAN  FRANCISCO 
FLETCHER  HAMILTON 


State  Mineralogist 


San  Francisco] 


BULLETIN  No.  88 


[July,  1920 


CAUFORNIA 

MINERAL  PRODUCTION 

FOR  1919 


WITH  COUNTY  MAPS 


BY 


WALTER    W.   BRADLEY 


Ptri^'O'^^^mS    Of 


CALIFORNIA    STATE   PRINTING    OFFICE 

SACRAMENTO 

1920 


451-vS 


Exhibit    of    California    structural    materials    in    State 
Mining  Bureau,   Ferry   Building,    San   Francisco. 


r 


CONTENTS. 


Face 

I.IOTTER    OF   TRANSMITTAL 7 

INTRODUCTION '. 8 

Chapter  I. 
SUMMARY  OF  THE  MINERAL   INDUSTRY   IN   CALIFORNIA   DURING   THE 

YEAR   OF   1919 9 

Tabulation  of  the  Mineral  Production   Showinq  Comparative  Amounts 

AND  Values — 1918  and  1919 11 

Table  Showing  Comparative  Mineral  Production  of  the  Various  Counties 

IN  California  for  1918  and  1919 12 

Total   Production,    1887-1919 13 

Dividends     14 

Chapter  II. 
FUELS   (HYDROCARBONS)  — 

Introductory 15 

Coal    15 

Natural  Gas 17 

Petroleum 23 

Chapter  III. 
METALS — 

Introductory    34 

Aluminum -_ 35 

Antimony 35 

Bismuth 36 

Cadmium 36 

Copper    37 

Gold    39 

Iridium.      (See, Platinum.) 

Iron 44 

Lead    45 

Manganese    »  -.^g^ 

Molybdenum 51 

Nickel 52 

Osmium    52 

Palladium 52 

Platinum 53 

Quicksilver    56 

Silver   62 

Tin    1  63 

Tungsten 64 

Vanadium 65 

Zinc    66 

Chapter  IV. 
(STRUCTURAL  MATERIALS— 

Introductory 68 

Asphalt    69 

Bituminous  Rock 69 

Brick  and  Tile 70 

Cement 73 

Chromite 75 

Granite    7g 

Lime   gj 


—  4  — 

STRUCTURAL  MATERIALS — Continued.  Pack 

j^agnesite   82 

Marble 88 

Onyx   and   Travertine 90 

Sandstone 92 

Serpentine    92 

Slate 93 

Stone — Miscellaneous 94 

Paving  Blocks 95 

Grinding-Mill  Pebbles 96 

Sand  and  Gravel 97 

•  Crushed  Rock 98 

Chapter  V, 
INDUSTRIAL  MATERIALS— 

Introductory    _ — 102 

asbestos  ___ 103 

Barytes    105 

Clay — Pottery . 106 

Dolomite    " 108 

Feldspar    109 

Fluorspar    111 

Fuller's  Earth 111 

Gems    112 

Graphite 113 

Gypsum 116 

Infusorial  and  Diatomaceous  Earths 117 

Limestone  118 

LiTHIA    121 

Mica 122 

Mineral   Paint   122 

Mineral  Water 124 

phosphates 125 

Pumice  and   Volcanic   Ash ^ 125 

•    Pyrite 126 

Silica Sand   and   Quartz — 127 

soapstone  and  talc 129 

Strontium 130 

Sulphur ^ 131 

Chapter  VI. 
SALINES — 

INTRODUCTORY     132 

BORAX     132 

Magnesium  Salts 133 

Nitrates 134 

Potash . 135 

Salt 136 

Soda 138 

Chapter  VII. 

MINERAL  PRODUCTION  OF  CALIFORNIA  BY  COUNTIES— 

Introductory   140 

Alameda 142 

Alpine    142 

Amador 142 

Butte   143 

Calaveras    144 

Colusa    144 

Contra  Costa 145 

Del  Norte 145 

El  Dorado 146 

Fresno 146 


—  5  — 

MINERAL  PRODUCTION  OF  CALIFORNIA  BY  COUNTIES — Continued.  Page 

Glenn 147 

Humboldt  147 

Imperial 148 

INYO 148 

Kern   149 

Kings    — 150 

LAKE ^ 150 

Lassen 151 

Los  ANGELES 151 

Madera 152 

Marin 152 

Mariposa    153 

Mendocino . 153 

Merced . 154 

Modoc  154 

Mono 154 

Monterey 155 

NAPA   155 

Nevada 156 

Orange  156 

Placer    157 

PLUMAS 158 

Riverside   158 

Sacramento 159 

San  Benito 159 

San  Bernardino 160 

San  Diego    , 161 

San  Francisco ^ 161 

San  Joaquin 162 

San  Luis  Obispo  16:2 

San  Mateo   163 

Santa  Barbara ; 163 

Santa  Clara ^ : 164 

Santa  Cruz     — 164 

Shasta  . 165 

Sierra 165" 

Siskiyou 166 

Solano 167 

Sonoma , 167 

Stanislaus    168 

Sutter 168 

Tehama : ^ 168 

Trinity : 169 

Tulare 169 

Tuolumne   ^ ^ 170 

Ventura 170 

Yolo 171 

Yuba 171 

APPENDIX. 

MINING  BUREAU  ACT 172 

PUBLICATIONS   OF  THE   STATE  MINING  BUREAU 175 

COUNTY  MAPS   -- 181 

INDEX 201 


6  — 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 

Page 
Exhibit  of  California  Structural  Materials  in  State  Mining  Bureau,  Ferry 

Building,  San  Francisco Frontispiece 

Camp  9  Power  House  of  Sierra  and  San  Francisco  Power  Company 10 

Well  Flowing  Over  10,000  Barrels  of  Oil  Per  Day,  Elk  Hills- 27 

Re-soiling  Gold  Dredge  of  Natomas  Company  of  California 39 

Dredged  Land  as  Left  by  Re-soiling  Dredge 40 

Buckeye  Manganese  Mine,  West  of  Vernalis,  Stanislaus  County 47 

Open-Cut  Stope  of  Buckeye  Manganese  Mine 48 

Manganese  Mine  on  Sec.  19,  T.  5  S.,  R.  6  E.,  Stanislaus  County 49 

NEAR  View  of  Stope  on  Cummings  Lease  Manganese  Mine 50 

Dredge  No.  11  of  the  Natomas  Company  Near  Folsom 53 

Rotary  Quicksilver  Furnace  at  Cloverdale  Mine,  Sonoma  County 56 

New  Reduction  Plant  of  the  Western  Mercury  Company  at  the  Clover- 
dale  Mine 57 

Plant  of  Peterson-Kartschoke  Brick  Company,  San  Jose 71 

Plant  of  the  Old  Mission  Portland  Cement  Company,  San  Juan  Bautista_  74 
Federal  Realty  Building^  Oakland,  California,  Finished  With  Magnesite 

Paint 83 

Magnesite  Calcining  Furnace  of  Sinclair  Bros.,   at  Piedra 87 

New  Quarry  Being  Opened  Up  by  the  Bell  Marble  Company,  Near  Columbia, 

Tuolumne  County   89 

In  Quarry  of  Columbia  Marble  Company 90 

"Swansea  White"  Marble  in  Quarry  of  Inyo  Marble  Company 91 

Plant  of  the  Piedra  Rock  and  Sand  Company,  at  Piedra 94 

Kings   River   Quarry   and   Crusher  Pi.ant  of  the   Piedra  Rock   and   Sand 

Company 95 

Sand  and  Gravel  Plant  of  the  Fresno  Rock  Products  Company,  at  Wood- 
rock,  ON  THE  Kings  River 100 

Open-cut  on  Graphite  Outcrop,  of  California  Graphite  Company 115 

Limestone  Quarry,  With  Crushing  and  Screening  Plant  of  W.  A.  Caplatzi, 

at  Santa  Cruz ; 119 

Hauling  'Whiting'   (Calcium  Carbonate)  F'rom  White  Boy  Claim  of  Seipp 

AND  Merwin,  on  Edge  of  Death  Valley 120 

'Bartlett'  Spring,  at  Bartlett  Springs,  Lake  County 123 

Brand  and  Stevens'  Pumice,  Imperial  County 126 

Salt  Deposit  op  Pacific  Rock  Salt  Company,  Near  Amboy_ 137 

Maps 179-199 


LETTER  OF  TRANSMITTAL. 


July,  1920. 
To  His  Excellency,  the  Honorable  William  D.  Stephens, 
Governor  of  the  State  of  California. 

Sir:  I  have  the  honor  to  herewith  transmit  Bulletin  No.  88  of  the 
State  Mining  Bureau,  being  the  annual  report  of  the  statistics  of  the 
mineral  production  of  California. 

The  remarkable  variety,  total  valuation,  and  wide  distribution  of 
many  of  our  minerals  revealed  herein  show  California's  importance, 
both  in  peace  and  in  war,  as  a  producer  of  commercial  minerals  among 
the  states  of  the  Union. 

Respectfully  submitted. 

Fletcher  Hamilton, 

State  Mineralogist. 


LETTER  OF  INTRODUCTION. 


It  is  the  endeavor  of  the  staff  of  the  State  Mining  Bureau,  in  these 
annual  reports  of  the  mineral  industries  of  California,  to  so  compile 
the  statistics  of  production  that  they  will  be  of  actual  use  to  producers 
and  to  those  interested  in  the  utilization  of  the  mineral  products  of  our 
state,  while  at  the  same  time  keeping  the  individual's  data  confidential. 
In  addition  to  the  mere  figures  of  output,  we  have  included  descriptions 
of  the  uses  and  characteristics  of  many  of  the  materials,  as  well  as  a 
brief  mention  of  their  occurrences. 

The  compilation  of  accurate  and  dependable  figures  is  an  extremely 
difficult  undertaking,  and  the  State  Mineralogist  takes  the  opportunity 
of  here  expressing  his  appreciation  of  the  cooperation  of  the  producers 
in  making  this  work  possible.  A  fuller  appreciation  of  the  value  of 
early  responses  to  the  requests  sent  out  in  January  will  result  in 
earlier  completion  of  the  manuscript.  Statistics  lose  much  of  their 
value  if  their  publication  is  unnecessarily  delayed. 

Some  of  the  data  relative  to  properties  and  uses  of  many  of  the 
minerals  herein  described  are  repeated  from  preceding  reports,  as  it 
is  intended  that  this  annual  statistical  bulletin  shall  be  somewhat  of 
a  compendium  of  information  on  California's  commercial  minerals  and 
their  utilization. 

Fletcher  Hamilton, 
State  Mineralogist. 


MINERAL  INDUSTRY,  CALIFORNIA,  1919 


DATA  COMPILED   FROM   DIRECT  RETURNS   FROM   PRO- 
DUCERS IN  ANSWER  TO  INQUIRIES  SENT  OUT  BY 
THE   CALIFORNIA   STATE   MINING   BUREAU, 
FERRY  BUILDING,  SAN  FRANCISCO, 
CALIFORNIA. 


CHAPTER  ONE. 

Mineral  output  in  California  during  the  year  1919  amounted  to  the 
sum  of  $196,473,560  worth  of  crude  materials.  There  were  fifty  differ- 
ent mineral  substances,  exclusive  of  a  segregation  of  the  various  stones 
grouped  under  gems;  and  of  the  fifty-eight  counties  of  the  state,  all 
but  one  contributed  some  mineral  product. 

As  compared  with  the  1918  output,  the  notable  features  of  1919  are : 
The  continued  increase  in  petroleum  valuation,  and  the  decrease  in  the 
so-called  'war  minerals,'  chromite,  copper,  magnesite,  manganese, 
potash,  and  tungsten.  Despite  decreased  valuation  totaling  over 
$18,000,000  shown  by  a  number  of  substances,  the  result  is  a  net 
decrease  of  only  $3,280,277  in  the  grand  total  value,  owing  to  the 
great  increase  by  petroleum. 

Of  the  metals:  Copper  decreased  from  47,793,046  pounds  and 
$11,805,883  to  22,162,605  pounds  and  $4,122,246 ;  quicksilver  approxi- 
mately one-third  in  quantity  and  one-half  in  value ;  lead  and  tungsten 
to  about  one-tenth;  manganese  to  one-half.  Gold  and  platinum  were 
the  only  metals  to  yield  increases,  and  they  were  small  proportionately. 

Petroleum  increased  from  99,731,177  barrels  and  $127,459,221  to 
101,182,962  barrels  and  $142,610,563.     Natural  gas  also  increased. 

Several  of  the  structural  and  industrial  minerals  decreased  in  1919,  as 
compared  to  the  1918  figures,  notably:  Chromite,  a  drop  of  $3,552,333 
in  value;  magnesite,  with  $351,398;  and  limestone,  $208,113,  the  last- 
named  being,  in  part,  the  result  of  the  closing  down  of  copper  smelters 
which  use  limestone  for  flux.  Increases  are  noted  among  others,  for 
brick  and  tile,  'miscellaneous  stone'  (crushed  rock,  sand  and  gravel), 
and  pyrite.  Of  the  salines,  potash  decreased  $4,393,013  in  value,  with 
borax  and  soda  exhibiting  smaller  drops. 

The  figures  of  the  State  Mining  Bureau  are  made  up  from  reports 
received  direct  from  the  producers  of  the  various  minerals.  Care  is 
exercised  in  avoiding  duplication,  and  any  error  is  likely  to  be  on  the 
side  of  under  rather  than  over  estimation. 


10  MINERAL   INDUSTRY    OF   CALIFORNIA. 

California  yields  commercially  a  greater  number  and  variety  of 
mineral  products  than  any  other  state  in  the  United  States,  and  prob- 
ably more  than  any  other  equal  area  elsewhere  of  the  earth.  Previous 
to  1916,  the  total  annual  value  of  her  output  was  surpassed  by  but  four 
other  states,  they  being  the  great  coal  and  iron  producers  of  east  of 
the  Mississippi  River.  In  1916  and  1917,  because  of  their  enormous 
increases  in  copper  output,  Montana  and  Arizona  passed  California  in 
total  value  for  those  years;  and  Arizona  for  1918.     Of  one  item,  at 


m 

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1 

Camp  9  Power  House  of  Sierra  and  San  Francisco  Power  Company,  Tuolumne 
County.     Photo  by  C.  A.  Logan. 

least,  borax,  California  still  remains  the  sole  producer;  and  for  many 
years  was  also  the  sole  domestic  source  of  chromite  and  magnesite. 
We  produce  at  least  75%  of  the  quicksilver  of  the  United  States.  For 
some  years  we  have  been  leading  all  others  in  gold  and  platinum ;  while 
alternating  in  the  lead  with  Colorado  in  tungsten,  and  with  Okalahoma 
in  petroleum. 


STATISTICS   OP   ANNUAL   PRODUCTION. 


11 


The  following  table  shows  the  comparative  yield  of  mineral  substances 
of  California  for  1918  and  1919,  as  compiled  from  the  returns  received 
at  the  State  Mining  Bureau,  San  Francisco,  in  answer  to  inquiries  sent 
to  producers: 


Substance 


Asbestos    

liarytes    

Bituminous  rock 

Borax -— 

Brick  and  tile 

Cadmium    

Cement    

Chromite  

Clay  (pottery) 

Coal 

Copper  

Dolomite   

Feldspar    

Fluorspar  

Fuller's  earth  

Gems   

Gold    

Granite 

Graphite    .. 

Gypsum   

Infusorial  and  dia- 

tomaeeous  earths  _. 

Iron   ore   

Lead    

Lime   

Limestone  

Lithia     

Magnesite  

Magnesium  salts  

Manganese  ore — 

Marble    

Mineral  paint 

Mineral  water 

Molybdenum  _— 

Natural  gas 

Petroleum  •_ 

Platinum    ^ 

Potash   

Pumice  and 

volcanic  ash  

Pyrite  

Quicksilver 

Salt    

Sandstone   

Silica   (sand  and 

quartz) ___ 

Silver    

Soapstone  and  talc  _ 

Soda    

stone,  miscellaneous- 
Strontium    

Tungsten  concentrates 

Zinc  

Unapportioned 


1918 


Amount 


Value 


229  tons 

100  tons 

2,561  tons 

88,772  tons 


4,772,921  bbls 

73,955  tons 

112,423  tons 

6,343  tons 

47,793,046  lbs. 

24,560  tons 

4,182  tons 

2 

37  tons 


19,695  tons 


35,963 

3,106 

13,464,869 

436,843 

2^,563 

4,111 

83,974 

1,008 

26,075 

3  17,428 

728 

1,808,791 


tons 

tons 

lbs. 

bbls. 

tons 

tons 

tons 

tons 

tons 

cu.  ft. 

tons 

gal«. 


46,373,052  M  cu. 
99,731,177  bbls. 
571  oz. 
49,381  tons 

2,114  tons 
128,329  tons 
22,621  flasks 
212,076  tons 
900  cu.  ft. 

23,257  tons 


Totals 

Net  decrease 


11,760  tons 
20,447  tons 

2,900  tons 
1,982  tons 
5,565,561  lbs. 


1  $9,903 

j  1,500 

i  9,067 

!  1,867,908 

J  2,363,481 

I       ' 

!  7.969,909 

I  3,6iS,497 

i  166,788 

I  16.149 

!  11,805,883 

I  79,441 

;  22,061 

2 

I  333 

I  650 

j  16,529,162 

!  139,861 

1  2 

37,176 

189,459 

15,947 
956,006 
461,315 
456  258 

73,998 
803,492 

29,955 
979,235 

49,898 

4,738 

375.650 

a 

3,289,524 
127,459,221 

42,788 
6,808,976 

28,659 

425,012 

2,579,472 

806,328 

400 


1,427,561 

85,534 

855,42b 

3,404,157 

33,000 

2,832,222 

506,466 

2  15,134 


$199,753,837 


1919 


Amount 


1,501  tons 

4,614  tons 

66,791  tons 


Value 


Increa8e4- 

Decrease — 

Value 


$18,065 

18,537 

1,717,192 

3,087,067 


$16,565+ 

9,470+ 

150,716— 

723,586+ 


4,645,289  bbls. 

4,314  tons 

135,708  tons 

2,983  tons 

22,162,6:5  lbs. 

24,502  tons 

1,272  tons 


8,591,990 

97,164 

245,019 

8,203 

4,122,246 

67,963 

12,965 


622,081+ 

3,552,33»— 

78,231+ 

7.946- 

7,683,637— 

11,488— 

9,096— 


385  tons 


19,813  tons 

40,200  tons 

2,300  tons 

4,139,562  lbs. 

420,696  bbls. 

88,291  tons 

80O  tons 

44,696  tons 

1,616  tons 

11,569  tons 

25,020  cu.  ft. 

1,780  tons 

2,233,842  gals. 


3,810 

5,425 

17,335,100 

220,743 
1 

50,579 

217,800 
13,796 

219..397 

552,043 

248,145 
14,400 

452,094 
82,457 

451,422 
74,482 
17,055 

340,117 


3,477+ 

4.775+ 

805,938+ 

80,882+ 
1        + 

13,403+ 

28.341  + 

2,151— 

736.609— 

93,728+ 
208,113- 

59.S 
351, 

52,5(^+ 
527,813- 

24,584+ 

12.317+ 

35.533— 


52,173,503  M  cu.  ft. 
101,182,962  bbls. 

418  fine  oz. 
28,118  tons 

2,388  tons 
147,024  tons 
15,200  flasks 
233,994  toruS 

5,400  cu.  ft. 

18,659  tons 

8,764  tons        i 
21,294  tons         i 


4,041,217 

142,610,563 

60,611 

2,415,963 

43,657 

540,300 

1,353,381 

896,963 

3,720 

101,600 

1,244,464 

115,091 

721,958 

3,696,944 


751,693+ 

15,151,342+ 

17,^3+ 

4,398,013- 

14,988+ 

115,288+ 

1,226,091— 

90,635+ 

3,320+ 

12,670+ 


214  tons 
1,384,192  lbs. 


219.316 
101,046 
125,903 


29,557+ 
133.465— 
294,787+ 

33.000— 

2,612,906— 

405,420- 

10.769+ 


$196,473,560 


$3,280,277— 


^Unapportioned— includes  asbestos  and  graphite. 

^Unapportioned— includes  cadmium,  fluorspar,  graphite  and  molybdenum. 
^Includes  onyx  and  serpentine. 

^Includes  macadam,  ballast,  rubble,  riprap,  paving  blocks,  sand,  gravel,  and  grinding-mlU 
pebbles. 


12 


MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OP   CALIFORNIA. 


The  following  table  shows  the  comparative  value  of  the  mineral  pro- 
duction of  the  various  counties  in  the  state,  for  the  years  1918  and  1919 : 


County 

1918 

1919 

Alameda               -    -  _  

$1,173,535 

$1,304,685 

Alpine                          -               

100 

Amador     _ 

3,452,640 

873,035 

2,794,452 

16,400 

1,324,251 

371,675 

959,286 

19,876,625 

89,699 

141,954 

109,692 

5,177,676 

63,410,685 

9,229 

215,876 

800 

16,006,628 

114,327 

176,183 

352,504 

108,388 

74,849 

8,220 

54,863 

119,687 

1.676,367 

3,301,651 

22,914,660 

903,520 

3,092,694 

1,689,042 

2,102,597 

1,537,463 

7,632,790 

1,942,150 

16,463 

601,973 

858,679 

193,812 

10,051,831 

1,759,568 

2,590,717 

a098,671 

331,501 

877,287 

1,470,726 

586,391 

453,913 

3,439,842 

Butte                                                 

803,829 

Calaveras 

1,886,608 

Colusa               -                            _       _. 

7,300 

Contra  Costa 

1,395,558 

Del  Norte  

El  Dorado — 

6,871 
164,452 

Fresno  

21,643,898 

Glenn    

59,637 

Humboldt               _                                 ,-                         - 

43,667 

Imperial 

133,236 

Inyo -  -                  --  -    

2,674,835 

Kern    

67,153,361 

Kings 

51,283 

Lake              -    .               —                            _      _           __ 

39,375 

Lassen 

1,100 

Los  Angeles __ 

23,606,381 

Madera            _         -  _ 

110,683 

Marin 

228,974 

Mariposa      _.              _-      _           __  _  _ 

410,535 

Mendocino 

14,214 

Merced __       _      _      _ 

40,350 

Modoc                         __,  _ 

8670 

Mono 

52,682 

Monterey 

148,504 

Napa _    __-    

275,303 

Nevada      _ _    _    __ 

3,068,010 

Orange 

27  848  727 

Placer _            

415,131 

Plumas     _ __       _         __            _       , 

2183  750 

Riverside  

2,578,250 

Sacramento 

2,275,827 
1  276  476 

San  Benito  _. 

San  Bernardino  _  _ 

4,236,199 

San  Diego 

343  230 

San  Francisco    

65,541 

San  Joaquin    __  _ 

449  000 

San  Luis  Obispo    

San  Mateo __ 

212,430 
241  671 

Santa  Barbara    

7  594  917 

Santa  Clara 

1,048,571 

Santa  Cruz 

2  245056 

Shasta   __ 

2,912,718 

Sierra 

292,950 

Siskiyou  __ 

608  468 

Solano 

1,672,084 

Sonoma  . 

286  038 

Stanislaus 

590,326 

Sutter - - __ 

Tehama  

157,591 

707,524 
527,408 
602,278 

2,186,311 
21,215 

3,844,885 

9000 

Trinity  _,_ __ 

536,783 
331,001 
459,396 

3,017,074 
25,466 

3,943,537 

Tulare   

Tuolumne 

Ventura _ 

Yolo    .._.    ____ 

Yuba  _ _. 

Totals    - 

$199,753,837 

$196,473,560 

STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAL   PRODUCTION. 


13 


Total  Production. 

The  following  tabulation  gives  the  total  value  of  mineral  production 
of  California  by  years  since  1887,  in  which  year  compilation  of  such 
data  by  the  State  Mining  Bureau  began.  At  the  side  of  these  figures 
the  writer  has  placed  the  values  of  the  most  important  metal  and  non- 
metal  items — gold  and  petroleum. 

In  the  same  period  copper  has  also  increased,  beginning  with  1897 
following  the  entry  of  the  Shasta  County  mines.  Cement  increased 
rapidly  from  1902,  while  crushed  rock,  sand  and  gravel  parallels  the 
cement  increase.  Quicksilver  has  been  up  and  down.  Mineral  water 
and  salt  have  always  been  important  items,  but  the  values  fluctuate. 
Borax  has  increased  materially  since  1896.  Wartime  increases,  1915- 
1918,  were  shown  by  chromite,  copper,  lead,  magnesite,  manganese, 
silver,  tungsten  and  zinc,  but  all  declined  in  1919. 


Total  Mineral  Production  of  California  by  Years,  Since  1887. 


Year 

Total  value  of 
all  minerals 

Gold,  value 

Petroleum, 
value 

1887   -        

$19,785,868 
19,469,320 
16,681,731 
18,039,666 
18,872,413 
18,300,168 
18,811,261 
20,203,294 
22,844,663 
24,291,398 
25,142.441 
27,239,079 
29,313,460 
32,622,945 
34,355,981 
35,069,105 
37.759,040 
43.778,348 
43,069,227 
46,776,085 
55,697,949 
66.363,198 
82,972.209 
88,419,079 
87,497.879 
88,972,385 
98,644,639 
93,314,773 
96,663,369 
127,901.610 
161.202.962 
199.753.837 
196.473,560 

$13,588,614 
12,750,000 
11,212,913 
12.309,793 
12,728,869 
12,571,900 
12,422,811 
13,923,281 
15,334,317 
17,181,562 
15,871,401 
15,906,478 
15,336,081 
15.863.355 
16.989,044 
16,910,320 
16,471,264 
19.109.600 
19,197.043 
18.732.452 
16.727.928 
1^761.559 
20,237.870 
19,715,440 
19.738.908 
19,713,478 
20,406,958 
20,653,496 
22,442,296 
21,410,741 
20,087.504 
16,529,162 

♦17,335,100 

$1,357,144 

1888  — 

1,380,666 

1889 

368,048 

1890  .     -_ 

384,200 

1891  

401,264 

1892 _ 

561,333 

1893  _   .  __ __   _ 

608,092 

1894 

1,064,521 

1895 

1,000,235 

1896  _„ 

1,180,793 

1897 

1,918,269 

1898 

2,376,420 

1899 __  __  „  __   ___ 

2,660,793 

1900 

4,152,928 

1901 . 

2,961,102 

1902 

4,692,189 

1903  - 

7,313,271 

1904 

8,317,809 

1905 

9,007.820 

1906 _ 

9,238,020 

1907 _ 

16,783,943 

1S08 

26  566  181 

1909 ___ __    _._  _ 

32,398.187 

1910 

37,689,542 

1911 

40,552,088 

1912 

41,868,344 

1913 _ 

48,578,014 

1914 

47,487,109 

1915 _„ 

43,508,837 

1916  _ _ .   . 

57.421,334 

1917 __  _ 

86,976,209 

1918 ___• . 

127.459.221 

1919  

142,610.563 

Totals  __ 

$996,352,942 

$558,171,488 

$810,839,489 

14 


MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OP   CALIFORNIA. 


Dividends. 

Among  the  metal-mine  dividend  payers  in  1919  in  California  thf> 
following  have  been  reported:* 


Company 

Metal 

Shares 
issued 

Par 
value 

Paid 
in  1920 

Total 

Latest  dividends 

Date 

Share 

Argonaut 

Gold 
Tungsten 

Lead 
\  Zinc 

Silver 
Copper 

Copper 

Quicksilver 

Gold 

Gold 

20O,O0C 
100,000 

1,000,000 

1,791,926 

600,000 

100,000 
250,000 

3,5CO,000 

$5  00 
100 

1  00 

1  00 

5  00 

500 

10  00 

500 

$1,970,000 
5,264,500 

300,COO 

565,273 

680,000 
2,705,000 
5,537.040 

9,858,110 

Dec.   25,  1919 
Dec.   14,  1918 

Jan.  15,  1918 

Oct.     1,  1918 

Feb.  25,  1919 
Jan.     1,  1919 
June  28,  1919 

June  -,  1918 

$0.05 
050 

Atolia  

Cerro  Gordo 

Engels    



O.Oo 

0.011 

0.15 
0.25 

First  National  Cop- 
per Company 

New  Idria   

North  Star 

040 

Yukon  Gold,  also 
Yukon  Gold,  (also 

Alaska   and 

Nevada) 

0.02^ 

♦Mining  and  Scientific  Press,  Vol.  120,  p.  731,  May  15,  1920. 


STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAL   PRODUCTION. 


15 


CHAPTER  TWO. 

FUELS. 

Among  the  most  important  mineral  products  of  California  are  its 
fuels.  This  subdivision  includes  coal,  natural  gas  and  petroleum,  the 
combined  values  of  which  make  up  over  50%  of  the  staters  entire 
jiiineral  output. 

There  are  deposits  of  peat  known  in  several  localities  in  California, 
small  amounts  of  which  are  used  as  a  fertilizer;  but  none  has  as  yet 
been  utilized  for  fuel. 

Comparison  of  values  during  1918  and  1919  is  shown  in  the  following 
table : 


1918 

1919 

Increase  4- 

Decrease — 

Value 

Amount 

Value 

Amount 

Value 

Coal    _ _ _. 

Natural  gas  

Petroleum 

6,343  tons 
46,373,052  M.  cu.  ft. 
99,731,177  barrels 

$16,149 

3,289,524 

127,459,221 

2,983  tons 
52,173,503  M.  cu.  ft. 
101,182,962  barrels 

■ 

$8,203 

4,041,217 

142,610,568 

$7,94e- 

751,693+ 

15,151.342+ 

$130,764,894 

$146,659,983 

$15,895,069+ 

COAL. 

Bibliography:  State  Mineralogist  Reports  VII,  XII,  XIII,  XIV, 
XV.  U.  S.  G.  S.,  Bulletins  285,  316,  431,  471,  581 ;  An.  Rep.  22, 
Pt.  IIL 

Coal  has  been  produced  in  California  since  as  early  as  1860,  and  until 
the  development  of  crude  oil  was  an  important  factor  in  the  mineral 
industry  of  the  state.  As  most  of  it  is  lignite,  the  quality  is  generally 
])oor  as  compared  with  other  coals  on  the  Pacific  Coast  markets.  How- 
ever, in  competition  with  fuel  oil,  coal  of  all  grades  has  had  to  take 
second  place.  Within  recent  months,  however,  owing  to  the  high 
prices  of  petroleum  products,  there  have  been  some  inquiries  for  coal 
deposits  in  California.  Besides  the  counties  noted  below  as  showing 
a  commercial  production,  workable  bodies  of  coal  are  also  known  in 
several  others,  including  Alameda,  Contra  Costa,  Mendocino,  Shasta, 
and  Siskiyou.  Some  coal  has  also  been  produced,  in  the  past,  in  Fresno 
and  Orange  counties. 

During  1919  production  was  reported  from  Amador,  Monterey  and 
Riverside  counties  totaling  2983  tons,  worth  $8,203.  That  from  the 
lone  mine  in  Amador  County  was  utilized  for  steaming  and  domestic 


IC 


MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 


purposes,  mainly  locally.  That  produced  at  the  Stone  Canon  property, 
Monterey  County,  was  consumed  at  the  mine  in  keeping  the  mine  open 
and  the  pumps  operating,  none  being  shipped  out  during  1919. 

Tests  have  been  made  by  the  U.  S.  Geological  Survey^  on  some  of  the 
lone  lignite  (because  of  its  resemblance  to  some  oil  shales),  to  determine 
if  it  will  yield  oil  on  destructive  distillation.  Up  to  62  gallons  of  oil 
per  ton  was  obtained  and  also  18  pounds  of  ammonium  sulphate  as  a 
by-product.  The  latter  is  valuable  as  a  fertilizer.  Analyses  showed: 
16%  fixed  carbon,  31%  volatile  matter,  46%  moisture,  7%  ash;  and 
the  heating  value  is  6,060  British  thermal  units. 

The  very  considerable  output  of  coal  in  the  years  previous  to  1883 
was  almost  entirely  from  the  Mount  Diablo  district.  Contra  Costa 
County.  Later,  the  Tesla  mine  in  Corral  Hollow,  Alameda  County,  was 
an  important  producer  for  a  few  years.  The  following  tabulation  gives 
the  annual  tonnages  and  values,  according  to  available  records : 


Coal  Output  and  Value  by  Years. 


Tear 


1861 
1862 
1863 
1864 
1865 
1866 
1867 


1870 
1871 
1872 
1873 
1874 
1875 
1876 
1877 
1878 
1879 
1880 
1881 
1882 
1883 
1884 
1885 
1886 
1887 


1890 


Tons 


Value 


6,620 

$38,065 

23.400 

134,550 

43,200 

248,400 

50,700 

291,525 

60,530 

348,048 

84,020 

483,115 

124,690 

716,968 

14^676 

826,137 

157,234 

904,096 

141,890 

815,868 

152,493 

876,835 

190,869 

1,097,439 

186,611 

1,073,013 

215,352 

1,238,274 

166,638 

958,169 

128,049 

736,282 

107,789 

619,787 

134,237 

771,863 

147,879 

850,304 

236,950 

1,362,463 

140,000 

805,000 

112,592 

647,404 

76,162 

380,810 

77,485 

309,950 

71.615 

286,460 

100,000 

300,000 

50.000 

150,000 

95,000 

380,000 

121,280 

288,232 

110,711 

283.019 

93,301 

204.902 

892 


896 
897 
898 
899 
900 
901 
902 
903 
904 
905 
906 
907 
908 
909 
910 
911 
912 
913 
914 
915 
916 
917 
918 
919 


Tear 


Totals 


Tons 


85,178 

72,603 

59,887 

79,858 

70,649 

87,449 

143,045 

160,941 

176,956 

150,724 

88,460 

93,026 

79,062 

46,500 

24,850 

23,734 

18,496 

49,389 

11,033 

11,047 

14,484 

25,198 

11,859 

10,299 

4,037 

3,527 

6,343 

2,983 


5,162,580 


Value 


$209,711 

167.555 

139,862 

193,790 

161,335 

196,255 

337,475 

420,109 

535,531 

401.772 

248,622 

265,383 

376,494 

144,500 

61,600 

55,849 

55,503 

216,913 

23,484 

18,297 

39,092 

85,809 

28,806 

26,662 

7,080 

7,691 

16,149 

8,203 


$22,876,460 


The  tonnages  in  the  above  table  lor  the  years  1861-1886  (inch)  are  taken  from  the  U.  S. 
Geological  Survey,  "Mineral  Resources  of  the  U.  S.,  1910,"  p.  lorr.  The  values  assigned  for  the 
years  previous  to  1883  are  those  given  by  W.  A.  Goodyear  (Mineral  Res.,  1882,  pp.  9S-9i),  being  an 
average  of  $5.75  per  ton.  Prom  1887  to  date  the  figures  are  those  of  the  California  State  Mining 
Bureau. 

lU.  S.  Geol.  Surv..  Press  Bulletin  No.  402,  March,  1919. 


I 

i 


STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAL   PRODUCTION.  17 

NATURAL  GAS. 

Bibliography :  State  Mineralogist  Reports  VII,  X,  XII,  XIII,  XIV. 
Bulletins  3,  16,  19,  69,  73. 


Statistics  on  the  production  of  natural  gas  in  California  are  in  a  con- 
siderable degree  difficult  to  arrive  at,  as  much  of  it  that  is  utilized 
directly  at  the  wells  for  heating,  lighting,  and  driving  gas  engines  is 
not  measured.  Hence,  it  is  necessary  to  approximate  the  output  of 
many  of  the  operators  in  the  oil  fields. 

The  figures  here  given  are  certainly  not  over  estimated,  particularly 
in  the  six  oil-producing  counties.  It  must  be  remembered  that  several 
of  our  important  oil  fields  are  removed  many  miles  from  the  site  of 
any  other  industry,  and  that  the  gathering  of  small  amounts  of  gas 
and  transporting  it  for  any  considerable  distance  may  not  always  be 
profitable.  However,  it  is  undoubtedly  a  fact  that  greater  saving  can 
frequently  be  made  with  profit.  Gas  traps  of  various  size  and  design 
are  in  use.  Some  large  operators  are  making  commendable  efforts  to 
conserve  the  gas  which  accompanies  oil  and  is  richer  than  the  so-called 
'dry  gas'  occurring  in  strata  which  do  not  produce  oil.  Wherever  feasi- 
ble, caring-head  gas  is  used  in  driving  gas  engines  for  pumping  and 
drilling,  and  in  firing  the  boilers  of  steam-driven  plants. 

The  notable  gas  development  in  1919  in  California  was  the  bringing 
in  of  two  large  dry-gas  producers  by  the  Standard  Oil  Company  in 
the  Elk  Hills  in  western  Kern  County.  One  of  these,  'No.  5,'  was 
drilled  to  a  certain  stratum  on  the  advice  of  the  State  Oil  and  Gas 
Supervisor,  though  the  company  officials  were  skeptical.  It  came  in 
at  an  estimated  flow  of  30,000,000  cubic  feet  per  24  hours.* 

Several  counties  produce  gas  which  is  not  accompanied  by  oil, 
particularly  Sacramento  and  San  Joaquin,  where  it  is  mixed  with 
manufactured  gas  for  domestic  service.  The  Tulare  Lake  district  in 
Kings  and  Tulare  counties  also  does  not  yield  oil. 

The  value  of  gas  as  here  shown  may  be  open  to  some  question,  but 
is  certainly  not  too  high,  as  regards  the  oil  counties.  There  is  rather 
a  wide  variation  in  prices  quoted  for  natural  gas  because  such  a  large 
proportion  is  used  directly  in  the  field  for  driving  gas  engines  and 
firing  boilers,  and  is  therefore  not  measured  nor  sold.  Such  companies 
as  have  attempted  to  place  a  valuation  on  the  gas  that  was  thus  used 
in  1919  gave  from  5^-9^  per  1000  cubic  feet.  From  the  totals  shown 
in  the  tabulation  following  herein,  the  average  value  for  1919  works 
out  at  a  fraction  under  8^.  Approximately  7000  cubic  feet  of  gas  is 
equal  to  one  barrel  of  oil  in  heating  value,  and  is  so  accounted  for  by 


♦Summary  of  Oil  Field  Operations,  May,  1919,  pages  4-8. 
2-4598 


18 


MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF    CALIFORNIA. 


many  operators.  In  driving  gas  engines,  about  4000  cu.  ft.  per  24  hr. 
are  consumed  by  a  25  h.p.  engine,  and  63,700  cu.  ft.  per  day  for  heating 
a  70  h.p.  steam  boiler,  which  figures  have  been  used  in  compiling  this 
report. 

Natural    Gas,   1919. 


County 

M.  cubic  feet 

Value 

Fresno   __  _ 

5,191,287 

25,363,739 

2.560 

4,148,476 

12,039,355 

200,943 

4,084,709 

700 

1,038,574 

103,170 

$411  356 

Kern    __    _„ 

1,618,913 

1,630 

458,812 

837  439 

Kings    __    __ 

Los  Angeles 

Orange  

San  Joaquin _ _                         , 

76  200 

Santa  Barbara  _  , 

336!092 

Tulare __ 

295 

Ventura      _  ._  

252  240 

Butte,  Humboldt. 

Lake,  Sacramento  and  Solano* 

48.240 

Totals    

52,173,503 

$4,041,217 

♦Combined  to  conceal  output  of  an  individual  producer  in  each. 

The  annual  production  of  natural  gas  in  California  since  1888  is  as 
follows : 


Tear 

Value 

Year 

Value 

1888 

$10,000 
12,680 
33,000 
30,000 
55,000 
68,500 
79,072 
112,000 
111,457 
62.657 
74,424 
95,000 
34,578 
92,034 
99,443 
74,237 
91.035 

1905 

$102,479 

109,489 

114.759 

474.584 

616,932 

1,676.367 

491,859  • 

940.076  ^ 

1.053,292 

1.049,470 

1,706.480  , 

2.871,751 

2,964,922 

3.289.524 

4.041.217 

1889           

1906 

1890 

1907    -  . 

1891  

1908 _             _ 

1892 

1909 

1893 

1910 

1894 

1911 

1895 

1912 

1896  „_-_ 

1913  ___ _  _        

1897 

1914 _. 

1898 __ 

1915 _ 

1899 _ 

1916 

1900 

1917 _ 

1901  ._ 

1918 ._ 

1902 

1919 

1903    . 

Total    

1904 _„ 

$22,638,318 

Electricity  versus  Natural  Gas,  for  Power  Purposes. 

Electricity  is  coming  into  vogue  in  portions  of  the  San  Joaquin 
Valley  oil  fields,  as  a  motive  power,  and  as  such  is  showing  lower  instal- 
lation, maintenance  and  operation  costs  than  natural  gas  equipment. 
Wherever  there  are  pipe  lines  available  for  gas  transmission  electric 
power  will  release  the  gas  for  other  duties.  A  recent  paper^  dealing 
with  this  subject,  is  quoted  herewith  at  some  length,  on  account  of  the 
valuable  data  it  gives,  particularly  with  reference  to  comparative  costs: 

^Balzari,  R.  A..  Kommers,  O.  A.,  and  Boiler,  F.  V.,  Electricity  in  the  development 
of  oil  lands:  Journal  of  Electricity,  Vol.  44,  pp.  373-377,  No.  8,  Apr.  15,  1920. 


STATISTICS   OP   ANNUAL   PRODUCTION.  19 

"Comparison  of  Motive  Power. 

"In  order  that  we  may  consider  the  relative  merits  of  electricity  with  the  other 
motive  powers  that  have  been  used  in  the  oil  fields,  let  us  compare  in  percentage 
rest  the  relation  of  the  electrical  installation  to  the  steam  and  gas  installation  and 
also  the  relation  of  the  operation  and  maintenance  of  an  electrically  operated  plant 
to  that  of  steam  and  gas.  In  making  the  comparison,  we  are  only  considering  that 
portion  of  the  oil  well  equipment  which  would  be  eliminated  by  the  use  of  electric 
motors. 

"In  the  steam  engine  driven  plant,  which  has  been  the  most  commonly  used, 
the  cost  to  the  oil  producer  per  well  installed,  averages  one  and  a  half  times  as 
much  as  that  of  an  electric  plant.  This  does  not  take  into  consideration  the  cost 
of  water.  The  cost  of  water  in  Central  California  is  a  very  important  item,  as 
at  several  points  water  is  not  available  at  all  and  it  is  necessary  to  pipe  it  from 
some  distant  point.  In  such  cases  the  water  cost  is  very  high.  In  other  localities 
they  are  able  to  obtain  their  own  well  supply.  Wells  in  these  districts  cost  from 
$3,000  to  $10,000  each.  The  number  of  oil  wells  served  by  the  boiler  plant  does 
not  alter  the  water  well  cost.  The  water  obtained  is  of  very  poor  quality  being  quite 
heavy   in  alkaline  salts. 

"The  gas  engine  driven  installation  costs  the  producer  1.6  times  the  cost  of  the 
•  lectrical  installation.  This  is  on  the  assumption  that  the  producer  does  not  have 
.  xcessive  length  of  pipe  to  run  to  his  wells  for  furnishing  the  necessary  gas  to 
operate  the  engine. 

"The  cost  of  operating  a  steam  driven  well  varies  over  a  very  wide  range.  We 
liave  a  minimum  reported  cost  of  operation  of  $2  per  day  per  well.  This  runs 
as  high  on  other  leases  as  $10  per  day  per  well.  This  wide  variation  is  explained 
by  several  factors.  The  variation  in  water  costs,  and  the  fact  that  the  low  cost 
per  day  occurs  where  the  most  economical  character  of  steam  installation  is  made 
and  one  boiler  plant  is  supplying  a  large  number  of  wells.  As  a  usual  thing  the 
steam  lines  are  uneconomical,  the  heat  losses  during  cold  weather  are  great,  as 
these  steam  lines  are  not  well  lagged.  The  steam  engines  are  non condensing,  and 
a  very  low  operating  effiiciency. 

"The  labor  cost  of  a'  steam  driven  installation  is  materially  higher  than  for  an 
electrically  driven  plant.  This  is  caused  by  the  necessity  for  close  attention  to  the 
boilers  and  engines.  If  for  any  cause  steam  pressure  drops,  the  pumper  must  be 
available  to  adjust  the  engine  speed  so  that  the  well  is  pumped  at  the  most  efficient 
speed. 

"The  gas  engine  user  commonly  does  not  know  his  costs  of  operation  and  main- 
tenance. If  you  ask  him  what  his  fuel  costs  are,  he  will  tell  you  that  his  gas 
does  not  cost  him  anything,  therefore,  he  does  not  have  any  fuel  charges  It  might 
be  possible  for  him,  however,  to  collect  his  gas  and  sell  it  in  the  field  at  a  fair 
return.  He  does  not  keep  a  separate  record  of  his  engine  maintenance  charges, 
although  it  is  necessary  for  him  to  maintain  a  well  equipped  machine  shop  and 
a  corps  of  high-grade  mechanics  in  order  to  keep  his  gas  engines  operating.  We 
have  interviewed  a  large  number  of  operators  of  gas  engines  and  have  been  unable 
to  get  a  definite  statement  as  to  costs  from  any  of  the  organizations.  They  have 
no  absolute  records,  so  do  not  wish  to  make  statements.  The  field  superintendent, 
however,  of  one  of  the  larger  companies  who  had  in  a  personal  way  kept  account  of 
gas  engine  operation,  assured  me  that  the  cost  of  operation  of  their  engines  was  at 
least  $2  per  day  per  well. 

"The  cost  of  operating  a  well  by  electricity  is  largely  a  question  of  power.  The 
maintenance  charges  on  a  motor  installation  are  very  low,  amounting  to  only  a 
few  dollars  per  year.  We  have  records  showing  wells  that  are  pumped  and  main- 
tained at  an  average  cost  of  50  cents  per  day  (individual  motor  drive).  Where 
the  wells  are  pumped  from  jack  plant  the  cost  runs  as  low  as  12  cents  per  day. 
The  Coalinga  Mohawk  Oil  Company  at  Coalinga,  whose  wells  range  from  4000  to 
4800  feet  in  depth,  pump  for  an  average  of  $1.80  per  day.  These  give  pumping 
costs  over  the  wide  range  of  wells,  that  is  from  the  shallow  well  at  50  cents  per 
day  to  the  deep  well  at  $1.80  per  day.  We  have  prepared  a  fair  exhibit  which  gives 
in  tabulated  form  cost  data  on  the  electrically  operated  well  that  we  feel  can  be 
taken  as  an  average  for  the  entire  oil  fields. 

"There  is  one  point  that  I  wish  to  call  to  your  attention,  however,  and  that  is 
the  maintenance  charges  against  the  electric  motor.  The  largest  percentage  of 
maintenance  charges  on  these  reports,  is  repairing  of  counter  shafts  which  are  not 
made  by  the  manufacturers  of  electrical  equipment,  but  which,  due  to  the  fact  that 
they  are  necessary  in  a  motor  driven  installation  have  been  charged  against  the 
motor  maintenance  cost.  There  is  being  designed  at  the  present  time  a  counter 
shaft  to  eliminate  all  the  troubles  that  have  been  experienced  in  the  past  and  which 
will  remove  practically  entirely  the  charges  now  assessed  against  the  electrical 
installation. 

"Oil  Production. 

"Oil  producing  companies  that  were  formerly  operating  on  a  steam  drive  and  are 
now  operating  by  electric  drive  claim  a  greater  production  by  electric  than  by  steam 
drive.  This  is  evident  when  you  consider  the  two  methods  of  operating  the  well.  In 
the  steam  driven  unit  the  steam  pressure  at  the  well  will  vary  according  to  the  temper- 
ature of  the  atmosphere  inasmuch  as  the  steam  lines  from  the  boiler  to  the  wells  are 
never  sufficiently  lagged  to  insure  uniform  temperature  of  the  line.  In  addition  to  this 
the  accumulation  of  water  in  the  steam  line  causes  at  times  a  drop  in  pressure  and  in 
each  case  a  drop  in  pressure  means  a  slowing  down  of  the  engine  which  in  itself  causes 
a  reduction  in  production.  The  attendant  when  he  makes  his  periodical  rounds 
adjusts  the  speed  of  the  equipment,  but  in  the  meantime  the  well  has  lost  In 
production   due   to   the   lower   speed  at  which  it  was   operated. 


20 


MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 


"This  is  not  the  case,  however,  with  an  electrically  driven  pump,  inasmuch  as 
the  motor  always  operates  at  the  predetermined  speed  until  changed  by  an  attendant. 
This  insures  a  uniform  production. 

"The  gas  engine,  due  to  engine  troubles,  has  not  the  reliability  of  the  motor. 
One  operator  who  has  replaced  his  gas  engine  by  motors,  claims  that  his  production 
increased  at  least  20  per  cent  due  to  the  uniformity  of  drive. 

"The  oil  companies  utilizing  electric  motors  say  that  they  would  under  no  consid- 
eration return  to  the  older  methods  of  drive.  They  prefer  the  motor  for  its  reliability 
in  service  and  the  ease  with  which  it  can  be  handled. 

"Drilling  by  Electricity. 

"For  many  years  the  oil  well  drillers  would  not  try  the  motor  for  drilling 
purposes.  This,  as  was  the  case  in  pumping,  was  due  to  their  inherent  desire  to 
follow  custom.  Finally,  however,  a  well  was  successfully  drilled  by  standard  tools 
with  an  electric  motor  and  now  there  are  over  twenty  drilling  rigs  running  by  the 
use  of  electricity. 

"The  electrical  installation  for  drilling  can  be  put  in  at  less  than  one-half  of 
the  cost  for  a  steam  installation,  not  taking  into  consideration  tlie  additional  cost 
of  water.  The  average  cost  of  power  for  five  electrically  operated  drilling  outfits 
in  the  Midway  fields  over  a  period  of  one  year  is  $90  per  month  per  equipment. 
A  steam  installation  could  not  be  operated  in  the  same  field  as  the  electrics  are 
working  for  a  cost  less  than  $300  per  month.  Just  as  good  drilling  time  is  made 
with  the  motor  as  with  steam.  The  drillers  after  once  becoming  accustomed  to  the 
motor  drive  would  not  go  back  to  the  use  of  steam  power. 

"COST    OF    ELECTRIC    POWER. 


Southern    Pacific — Coaiinga    Field.    June  to   November,   1919,   Inclusive. 

Wells  7, 11,  12, 14,  16,  18,  20,  55,  57,  112,  114, 119, 120,  121,  Section  19-C.    Wells  2,  3,  7,  8,  Section  Sl-A. 

Wells  38,  40,  339,  Section  33-A.    Wells  48.  49,  50,  Section  11-A. 

Nos.  57,  112,  114,  119,  120,  121— wells  on  only  part  of  above  period. 


Month 


Total  production,  bbl.- - 

Total  number  wells 

Number  wells  individual  drive- 
Number  wells  on  jack 

Total  k.w.  hours  used 


re- 


Total  cost  of  power 

Total  cost   of   labor   (inspection, 
pairs,  etc.)   

Total  cost   of  repair  parts    (motors 
and  counter  shafts)  — 


Average  cost  per  k.w.  hour 

Average  k.w.  hours  used  per  bbl 

Average  hrs.  pumped  per  well  per  day 

Average  cost  per  bbl.  for  power. _ 

Average  cost  per  well  per  day  for— 

Power 

Labor    _._ 

Repair  parts  

Power  and  labor 

Average  cost  per  bbl.  for  labor,  re- 
pairs and  power _' 

Average  gravity  of  oil ^— 

Average  depth;  exclusive  of  the  4  wells 
on  a  jack  plant  from  which  oil  Is 
pumped   (feet)   

Line  pressure  average  (pounds) 


June 


11,233 

17 

13 

4 

34,945 

$379  53 


.01084 
3.11 
20.25 


.7423 


16.8 


2,200 
200 


July 


8,744 
17 
13 
4 

34,434 

$375  10 


.01089 
3.93 
) 

.0427 

.7521 


16.8 


200 


August 


13,298 
20 
16 
4, 

47,653 

$505  66 

144  10 

78  10 

.01061 
3.58 
19 


.8155 


.126 
1.115 


.0547 
15.8 


2,200 
20O 


Sept. 


12,996 
20 

16 

4 
46,201 

$504  88 

68  78 

38  90 

.01092 
3.555 
20.4 


.8145 
.114 


1.02 


.0485 
15.8 


2,200 
200 


Oct. 


20,443 
24 
17 
7 

51,0Si 

$544  43 

239  79 

75  32 

.01065 
2.498 
19.8 


.8249 


.101 
1.30 


.04204 
15.8 


200 


Nov. 


17,999 

23 

17 

6 

67,797 

$730  52 

130  84 

14  88 


.01077 


.04057 


1.0-25 
.18 


15.8 


2,200 


Total  power  used.  Includes  power  consumed  In  pumping,  pulling  rods  and  tubing,  and  balling.     ; 
Labor  Includes  regular  inspection,  oiling  and  repairing,  motor  counter  shaft  and  belt  from 
motor  to  counter  shaft.    Does  not  include  labor  of  pumpers  and  pulling  gang. 
Repairs  Includes  motor,  counter  shaft  and  belt  repairs. 


STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAL   PRODUCTION. 


21 


"COST    OF    ELECTRIC    POWER. 

Jack  Plant. 

These  wells  are  included  in  preceding  table.    Wells  2,  3,  7,  8,  Section  31-A. 


Month 


June 


July 


August 


Sept. 


Oct. 


Nov. 


Total  k.w.  hours 

Total  power  cost 

Average  cost  per  k.w.  hour 

Average  k.w.  hours  per  well  per  hour.. 
Average  k.w.  hours  per  well  per  24  hrs. 
Average  daily  production  per  well,  bbl. 

Total  production  per  month,  bbl 

Average  gravity   of  oil 

Average  hours  per  well  per  day 

Average  k.w.  hours  per  bbl.  of  oil 

Average  cost  for  power  per  well  per 

day   

Average  cost  for  power  per  bbl.  of  oil 


1,385 

$19  29 

.01392 

.48 
ll.f)2 
11.4 

1,370 

16.8 
23.78 
1.009 

.01408 


1,306 
$18  31 

.01401 
.45 
10.88 


1,187 


16.8 
24 
1.1 


.li>2.5 
.0154 


1,872 
$19  13 


.46 
11.06 
7.3 


906 


16.8 
20.3 
1.51 

.154 


1,417 

$19  69 

.01389 

.476 
11.42 
13.46 

1,669 

16.8 
23.4 
.843 

.ISiHP 
.0118 


1,398 

$19  39 

.01392 
.488 
11.6 

12.74 

1.529 

16.8 
24 
.911 

.Ifllf 
.01268 


1.725 
$23  55 

.01365 

.58 
13.911 
11.61 

1,440 

16.8 
23.6 
1.198 

.10 
.01635 


Average  depth  oil  is  pumped,  950  feet. 

Tail  pump  on  each  well,  line  pressure  average  200  pounds. 


"Another  interesting  record  was  recently  made  in  the  Santa  Maria  fields,  wlien  a 
well  was  put  down  2700  feet  with  an  electrically  operated  rotary  drilling  rig  in 
forty-eight  days.  The  power  cost  on  this  rig  was  $8.45  per  day.  Due  to  the 
location  of  the  well,  steam  could  not  have  been  used  at  a  cost  anywhere  ne9,r 
that    of   electricity. 

"The  average  installation  of  motors  is  10  hp.  for  pumping  and  30  hp.  for  pulling 
the  well.  These  are  not  separate  motors,  but  one  motor  connected  for  10  hp.  con- 
tinuous duty  as  a  pumping  motor,  or  30  hp.  intermittent  duty  as  a  pulling  motor. 
The  size  of  motor  being  used  with  standard  tools  in  drilling;  is  at  present  75  hp. 
On  a  rotary  installation,  the  company  working  in  the  Santa  Maria  fields  used  a 
75-hp.  variable  speed  motor  operating  the  rotary,  and  a  40-hp.  constant  speed  motor 
for  operating  the  circulating  pump. 

**•♦♦♦♦ 

"Present   Development. 

"The  Oil  Bureau  of  the  State  of  California  gives  some  interesting  figures  as  to 
the  present  development  of  the  oil  industry  in  this  state.  There  are  at  the  present 
time  91,792  acres  of  proven  land  in  the  State  of  California.  There  are  9127  pro- 
ducing wells.  There  is  approximately  100,000  acres  of  land  which  is  considered 
oil  land,  but  which  has  not  been  proven  to  date.  The  Bureau  considers  that  to 
properly  develop  oil  land  there  should  be  at  least  one  well  on  every  eight  acres  of 
ground,  which  would  mean  that  if  the  unproven  territory  proves  up  we  should  have 
in  this  state  about  24,000  producing  wells.  At  present  the  central  stations  tell 
us  that  we  now  have  2110  wells  operating  by  electricity,  which  leaves  7017  wells 
which  should  be  operating  by  electricity,  or  which  can  be  operated  by  this  method 
as  soon  as  power  is  available.  There  are  also  12,500  wells  which  we  hope  to  develop 
during  the  next  ten  years.  This  shows  a  wonderful  load  which  is  ready  to  be  taken 
as  soon  as  there  is  a  sufficient  supply  of  electrical  energy." 

The  following  data  relative  to  the  extent  that  electric  power  is  now 
being  applied  in  the  oil  fields,  has  been  furnished  us,  by  the  San 
Joaquin  Light  and  Power  Corporation,  through  the  courtesy  of 
Mr.  I.  W.  Alexander,^  Manager  of  Stock  Sales  Department;  and  ''is 
complete  in  so  far  as  it  pertains  to  the  oilfields  to  which  we  supply 
electric  current:" 


'Correspondence. 


22 


MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF    CALIFORNIA. 


"San  Joaquin   Light  and   Power  Corporation   Oi 

Ifieids  Operations   July 

1,  1920. 

Kern 
River 

West  side 
Kern 
County 

Coalinga 

SantA 
Maria 

Total 

Number  of  wells  pumped  by  electric  jacks 

Number  of  individual  motor  pumped  wells 

Number  of  individual  motor  drilling  wells 

1,070 

269 

0 

lOO 

497 

5 

132 

260 

2 

21 

87 

3 

1,323 
1,113 

10 

Total  number  wells  operated  by  electricity... 
Number  of  companies  using  motor  (pump  and 
jack) 

1,339 
20 

602 

50 
20 
30 

394 

42 
6 
8 

111 

8 
5 

7 

2,446 
120 

Number  of  companies  using  electric  dehydrators. 

1 
1 

32 
46 

Gasoline   from    Natural    Gas. 

As  above  indicated,  more  or  less  gas  usually  accompanies  the  petro- 
leum in  the  oil  fields.  Approximately  50  plants  are  in  operation 
manufacturing  gasoline  by  compression  or  absorption  from  this  '  casing- 
head  gas.'  After  the  gasoline  is  extracted,  the  remaining  'dry  gas'  is 
taken  into  the  pipe  lines,  by  which  it  is  distributed  to  consumers,  both 
domestic  and  commercial. 

In  the  Midway  field,  some  of  the  casing-head  gasoline  is  obtained  as 
an  incidental  product  to  the  compressing  of  the  natural  gas  preliminary 
to  transmission  through  the  gas  pipe  lines.  Some  concerns  market 
casing-head  gasoline  separately,  w^hile  others  turn  it  into  the  oil  pipe 
lines,  thus  mixing  this  high-gravity  gasoline  with  the  crude  oil  for 
transportation  to  the  refinery,  where  it  is  later  regained.  A  total  of 
38,034,256  gallons  of  casing-head  gasoline  from  all  fields  was  reported 
by  29  companies,  as  made  during  1919  and  utilized  directly  as  such. 
It  was  distributed  by  counties,  as  follows : 

County  Gallons  gasoline 

Fresno    427,095 

Kern    19,062,781 

Los  Angeles   1,443,769 

Orange    ^ 7,784,830 

Santa  Barbara 8,112,931 

Ventura    , , 1,202,850 

Total 38,034,256 

The  largest  natural  gas  field  of  commercial  importance  thus  far 
developed  in  California  is  in  the  Midway  district,  followed  by  Orange, 
Santa  Barbara,  Fresno,  and  Los  Angeles  counties.  The  Southern 
California  Gas  Company  operates  a  12-inch  pipe  line  from  the  Midway 
field,  a  distance  of  107  miles,  to  Los  Angeles,  w^here  it  supplies  gas  to 
local  distributing  companies.  The  Valley  Natural  Gas  Company  sup- 
plies gas  to  consumers  in  the  Midway  field  and  to  local  distributing 
companies  at  Fellows,  Taft,  Maricopa,  Bakersfield,  and  the  Kern  River 
fields.  The  Santa  Maria  Gas  and  Power  Company  distributes  gas 
around  Santa  Maria,  from  wells  in  the  neighboring  oil  fields. 


STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAL   PRODUCTION.  23 

PETROLEUM. 

Bibliography :  State  Mineralogist  Reports  IV,  VII,  X,  XII,  XIII. 
Bulletins  3,  11,  16,  19,  31,  32,  63,  69,  73,  82,  84. 

Chief  of  the  fuels  of  California  is  petroleum.  A  complete  descrip- 
tion of  the  industry  is  to  be  found  in  Bulletin  69,  issued  in  1915  by  the 
State  Mining  Bureau ;  supplemented  by  Bulletins  73,  82  and  84,  annual 
reports  of  the  Oil  and  Gas  Supervisor,  1915-1918,  and  by  the  'Summary 
of  Operations,'  issued  monthly  since  April,  1919.  The  state  law 
providing  for  the  regulation  of  drilling  and  maintenance  of  oil  and 
gas  wells  by  the  State  Mining  Bureau  has  been  in  effect  since  1915. 
The  chief  aim  is  to  protect  the  oil  deposits  from  damage  by  water,  and 
to  aid  producers  in  their  work.  A  staff  of  technically  trained  men 
maintain  offices  in  the  various  fields. 

The  oil  production  for  California  for  1919,  as  shown  by  the  sworn 
statements  made  to  the  State  Mineralogist  for  the  Department  of  Petro- 
leum and  Gas,  by  the  producers  from  8932  wells  (except  part  of  the 
Los  Angeles  City  field)  amounted  to  101,073,517  barrels  net.  'Net' 
means  that  a  deduction  of  approximately  2%  has  been  made  for  water. 
The  oil  consumed  for  fuel  at  the  wells  is  also  included.  This  shows 
an  increase  of  1,614,340  barrels  from  the  similar  net  figures  of  1918. 

To  the  above  amount,  w^e  have  here  added  109,445  barrels,  being  the 
output  of  various  small  operators  in  the  Los  Angeles  City  field,  not 
included  in  the  reports  to  the  Oil  and  Gas  Supervisor,  making  a  total  for 
the  year  1919  of  101,182,962  barrels,  valued  at  $142,610,563.  Compared 
with  1918,  this  is  an  increase  of  1,451,785  barrels  in  quantity,  and  of 
$15,151,342  in  value.  This  great  advance  in  value  is  due  to  the  con- 
tinued increase  in  the  average  price  per  barrel  for  all  fields  and  grades 
\\^ich  began  in  1916,  as  will  be  seen  in  Table  B,  post.  The  total 
or  average  figures  on  price  per  barrel  at  the  well  are  difficult  to 
obtain,  as  it  must  be  remembered  that  a  large  portion  of  the  crude  oil 
does  not  enter  the  open  market,  but  is  consumed  or  refined  directly  by 
the  producers.  The  prices  given  are  for  oil  which  is  actually  sold,  and 
are  known  to  be  accurate. 

Features  of  1919. 

The  outstanding  feature  of  California  oil  production  is  its  fairly 
constant  rate  for  several  years  past.  Such  a  condition  may  be  expected 
to  continue  for  several  years  and  any  shortage  of  oil  or  its  products  will 
be  due  to  an  increased  consumption.  Los  Angeles  and  Ventura  were 
the  only  counties  showing  marked  increase  in  production.  Los 
Angeles  County  increased  approximately  5,000,000  bbl.,  or  50%,  while 
Ventura  gained  26%,  or  345,731  bbl.     The  increase  in  Los  Angeles 


24  MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OP   CALIFORNIA. 

County  was  largely  due  to  the  Montebello  field.  Fresno  County  prac- 
tically maintained  its  standing  with  a  production  of  16,091,037  bbl., 
all  from  the  Coalinga  field.  The  greatest  decline  was  in  Orange  County, , 
which  amounted  to  1,368,669  bbl.,  or  nearly  9%.  Kern  County 
decreased  1,315,882  bbl.,  or  nearly  3%.  Santa  Barbara  County  lost 
1,245,022  bbl.,  or  17%  of  its  previous  yield. 

There  is  a  natural  decrease  in  production  from  all  oil  wells  as  time 
passes  after  their  completion.  The  average  daily  production  from  Cali- 
fornia wells  decreases  about  two  barrels  each  year.  In  order  to  maintain 
a  given  total  output,  new  wells  must  be  continually  drilled.  The  area 
of  proved  oil  land  increased  about  3%  with  a  total  of  91,792  acres. 
All  the  important  oil  producing  counties  added  to  the  increase. 

The  use  of  electricity  as  a  motive  power  is  increasing  in  the  oil  fields, 
superseding  both  casing-head  gas  and  crude-oil  fuel.  It  is  proving 
economical  in  cost,  not  only  of  operation,  but  also  of  installation  and 
maintenance ;  and  permits  of  increased  oil  production  from  the  wells, 
owing  to  steadier  and  more  continuous  operation.  A  recent  authorita- 
tive magazine  article  on  this  subject  is  quoted  elsewhere  herein,*  under 
Natural  Gas. 

The    Gasoline    Shortage. 

A  recent  press  bulletin^  of  the  Oil  Department  of  the  State  Mining 
Bureau  deals  with  the  production  of  crude  petroleum  as  related  to  the 
now  acute  situation  as  regards  the  adequacy  of  the  supply  of  motor 
gasoline: 

"The  recent  shortage  of  gasoline  in  California  has  caused  numerous  letters  to  be 
directed  to  the  State  Oil  and  Gas  Supervisor  inquiring  whether  or  not  owners  of 
producing  oil  wells  have  capped  them  in  such  a  manner  as  to  retard  production 
and  cause  a  shortage  in  oil  and  its  various  products. 

"The  State  Supervisor  has  jurisdiction  only  over  the  methods  of  drilling  wells 
in  order  to  protect  the  natural  deposits.  However,  the  work  of  supervision  requires 
that  monthly  production  reports  of  each  and  every  well  shall  be  filed  with  the 
Deputy  Supervisor  located  in  the  various  fields.  Through  the  local  offices  of  the 
department,  the  Supervisor  is,  therefore,  regularly  advised  as  to  condition  of  the 
oil  industry  throughout  the  state. 

"One  of  the  outstanding  features  of  oil  production  in  California  is  that  for  a  period 
of  about  four  years,  the  production  has  been  maintained  at  a  fairly  constant  figure.^ 
Such  a  condition  does  not  prevail  in  many  other  states.  Ordinarily,  the  production 
of  a  state  rises  to  a  maximum  and  steadily  declines  therefrom. 

"On  the  last  day  of  December,  1919,  sworn  statements  filed  by  all  the  oil 
producers  in  the  state  show  that  there  were  8928  wells  in  operation  as  against  8188 
wells  in  operation  at  the  end  of  the  year  1918.  The  state  law  requires  that  notices 
of  intention  to  drill  new  wells  shall  be  filed  with  the  State  Oil  and  Gas  Supervisor 
prior  to  commencement  of  work.  Up  to  June  19,  this  year,  425  such  notices  have 
been  received  as  compared  with  only  291  at  the  same  date  in  the  preceding  year. 

"The  Supervisor  recently  made  a  direct  inquiry  into  this  matter  through  his  various 
field  deputies.  The  conclusion  arrived  at  from  the  foregoing  facts  is  that  in  all  fields 
there  is  evidence  of  effort  to  obtain  a  maximum  production.'"' 

During  the  year  1919,  a  total  of  20,341,828  gallons  of  gasoline  valued 
at  $5,882,502  was  exported  from  California  through  the  port  of  San 
Francisco,  and  114,158  gallons,  valued  at  $41,051  from  the  Los  Angeles 
district.     The  bulk  of  that  exported  went  to  New  Zealand,  Australia, 


*Seo  page  19,  ante. 

^Weekly  Press  Bulletin  No.  244,  June  26,  1920. 

*The  italics  are  ours.— W.  W.  B. 


STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAL   PRODUCTION. 


25 


Philippine  Islands,  and  Canada  with  smaller  amounts  to  Mexico,  Central 
and  South  America.  The  following  figures  of  the  exports  from  San 
Francisco  for  the  first  five  months  of  1920  are  reproduced  from  the 
records  of  the  U.  S.  Bureau  of  Foreign  and  Domestic  Commerce: 


Month 

Gallons 

Value 

January   

February    



2.680.396 

1,413,060 

836,381 

967,628 

4.389.970 

$909,378 
445,140 
245,416 
273,412 

1,373,536 

March  

April  _ 

May   

Totals    

10,287,455 

$3,246,882 

Of  this  total.  New  Zealand  received  4,287,310  gallons  and  Australia, 
1,784,922,  with  large  shipments  also  going  to  Canada,  Central  and  South 
America.  During  the  first  four  months  of  1920,  a  total  of  68,244 
gallons  Avas  exported  through  the  Los  Angeles  customs  district,  to 
Mexico  and  Japan. 

Production    Figures. 

The  following  table  gives  the  production  by  counties  for  1919,  com- 
pared with  the  1918  figures:   . 

TABLE   A. 
Production   and  Value  of  Oil   by  Counties. 


1918 

1919 

County 

Barrels 

Value 

Barrels 

Value 

Fresno ^_^_ 

Kern    

Los  Angeles 

Orange    ^ . 

16,068,919 

49,049,917 

10.125.190 

15,730,462 

62,744 

7,334,104 

20,499 

1,339,342 

$19,138,083 

61,410,496 

13,567.755 

22,211.412 

56.783 

9.057.618 

34,848 

1.982,2L'6 

16.091,037 

47,734,035 

15,076,633 

14,458,722 

31,656 

6,089,082 

16,724 

1,685.073 

$20,805,711 
64,440,947 
20,805,754 
26,893,223 

San   Luis   Obispo 

32,922 

Santa  Barbara  

Santa  Clara  

6.850,217 
26695 

Ventura    

2,755,0&4 

Totals 

99,731,177 

$127,450,221 

*101.182.962 

$142,610,563 

*See  page  23.  ante. 


TABLE    B. 
Average  Price  of  Oil,  by  Counties,   In 

Cents  per  Barrel. 

CJounty 

1814 

1915 

1916 

inr 

ima 

1S19 

Fresno    

$0,452 
.409 
.550 
.675 

$0,545 
.423 
.629 
.512 

$0,516 
.641 
.651 
.663 
.450 
.794 
.666 
1.045 

$0,825 

.893 

1.176 

1.003 

.926 

.808 

1.387 

1.318 

$1,191 
1.252 
IMO 
1.412 
.905 
1.235 
1.700 
1.480 

$1,293 

Kern    

Los   Angeles   

1.350 
1.380 

Orange    

1.860 

San   Luis  Obispo 

1.040 

Santa  Barbara  

.460 

.530 

1.050 

.611 
.666 

.855 

1.125 

Santa   Clara  

1.600 

Ventura    

1.635 

State  average  

$0,461 

$0,479 

$0,636 

$0,908 

$1,278 

$1,409 

26 


MINERAL    INDUSTRY    OF    CALIFORNIA. 


The  low  price  in  Santa  Barbara  County  for  1919  is  due  to  a  large 
production  of  8°  to  10°  gravity  oil  from  the  Casmalia  field,  which 
brought  only  about  50f^  per  barrel. 


TABLE    c. 

The  annual  production  since  discovery  in  1875  is  as  follows : 


Tear 

Barrels 

1875   ,     

175,000 

12,000 

13,000 

15,227 

19,858 

40.552 

99,862 

128,636 

142,857 

262,000 

325,000  1 

377,145 

678,572 

690,333 

303,220 

307,360 

323,600 

385,049 

470.179 

783,078 

1,245,339 

1.257.780 

1.911,569 

2,249,088  1 

1876  

1877  - 

1878  - 

1879      

1880          

1881  — 

1882  _ - 

1883  

1884  - 

1885 

1886   ^,_ 

1887       

1888         

1889 

1890  

1891  _ 

1892  

1893   

1894 

1895 

1896 

1897  

1898  

Tear 


1899  -— „. 

1900  

1901  

1902  

1903  

1904  

1905  

1906  

1907  —- , 

1908  


Barrtls 


2,677,875 
4,319,950 
7,710,315 
14,356,910 
24,340,839 
29,736,003 
34,275,701 
32,624,000 
40,311,171 
48,306,910 


1909  i      58,191,723 

77,697,568 
84,648,157 
89,689,250 
98,494,532 
102,881,907 
91,146,620 
90,262,557 
95,396,309 
99,731,177 


1019  -  — - 

101,182,962 

Total  -  

1,240,198,740 

TABLE    D. 

The  total  value  since  1887  is  as  foUows 


Tear 

Value 

1887-1909  - 

$136,693,228 

1910 _ - — 

37,689,542 

1911 _ - 

40,552,088 

1912 __ 

41,868,344 

1913 

48,578,014 

1914 _ _ 

47,487,109 

1915 _ 

43,503,837 

1916             -             — 

57,421,334 

1917 _ -  _     

86,976,209 

1918 

127,459,221 

1919 

142,610,563 

Total  

$810,839,592 

STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAL   PRODUCTION. 


27 


I 


Well  flowing  over  10,000  barrels  of  oil  per  day.     Elk  Hills, 
Kern   County,   California. 

The  following  table  shows  the   distribution  by  fields  of  the   1919 
output,  compared  with  1918,  as  given  by  the  Standard  Oil  Company: 


TABLE   E. 
Production   by  Fields.* 

(In   barrels   of   42   gallons.) 


Field 


1918 


1919 


Kern  River  

McKittrick 

Midway-Sunset   

Lost  Hills-Belridge  

Coalinga    

Lorapoc  and  Santa  Maria 

Ventura  County  and  Newhall. 

Lo«{  Angeles  and  Salt  Lake 

Whittier-Fullerton    

Summerland  

Watsonville   


Totals    - 
Net  decrease 


7,921,515 
3,050,627 

34,048,933 
5,420,079 

16,283,066 
7,143,750 
1,386,518 
1.397,781 

24,903,613 
54,613 
27,375 


101,637,870 


7,563,025 
2,810,848 

32,003.952 
4.554.821 

16.385.610 
6,030,910 
1,792,465 
1,341,415 

28,657,683 
53,680 
27,375 

101,221,784 
461,086 


•Standard  Oil  Bulletin,  January,  1920. 


28 


MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OP   CALIFORNIA. 


The  following  table  is  compiled  from  the  monthly  statements  con- 
tained in  the  Standard  Oil  Bulletin : 

TABLE    F. 
Well  Operations,   by   Fields,  1919. 


Field 

Producing 
Dec.  1918 

Producing 
Dec,  1919 

Completed 
during  year 

Abandoned 
during  year 

Kern  River 

1,996 
333 

2,208 
535 

1,140 
343 
456 
664 
784 
142 
5 

2,067 

341 

2,348 

561 

1,229 

378 

504 

665 

887 

142 

5 

77 

8 

166 

33 

98 

35 

36 

1 

105 

1 

MoKittrick      — _ 

4 

Midway-Sunset 

26 

Lost  Hills-Belridge  _ 

5 

Coalinga    

28 

Lompoc  and  Santa  Maria 

4 

Ventura  and  Newhall 

5 

Los  Angeles  and  Salt  Lake 

Whittier-Fullerton    

5 

Suramerland  

Watsonville  _ 

Totals    - 

8,606 

9,127 

559 

78 

The  proportion  of  heavy  and  light  oil  produced  in  the  various  fields 
is  shown  by  the  following  figures,  for  which  we  are  indebted  to  the 
Standard  Oil  Company.  Oil  below  18°  Baume  may  be  considered  as 
largely  unrefinable,  or  fuel  oil;  while  the  lighter  oils  yield  varying 
amounts  of  refined  products  and  a  very  large  proportion  of  residuum 
and  fuel  oil.  A  few  years  ago,  the  total  amount  of  heavy  oil  was  in 
excess  of  the  light  oil. 

TABLE    G. 
Production  of  Light  and   Heavy  Oil,   by   Fields,   1919. 


Field 


Under  18° 
(barrels) 


18°  and  over 
(barrels) 


Total 
(barrels) 


Kern  River 

McKittrick  ^ 1. 

Midway-Sunset    

Lost  Hills-Belridge 

Coalinga  

Santa  Maria-Lompoc  

Ventura  County  and  Newhall. 

Los  Angeles  and  Salt  Lake 

Whittier-Fullerton  

Suramerland    _. 

Watsonville    — — 


5,563,025 
2,810,848 
9,937,698 
1,456,594 
5,604,646 
3,151.785 

101,788 
1,178,383 

988,555 
53,680 


22,066,254 
3,098,227 

10,780,964 

2,879,125 

1,690,677 

163,032 

27,669,128 


27,375 


Totals 


32,847,002 


68,374,782 


7,563,025 
2,810,848 

32,0€8,952 
4„554,821 

16,385,610 
6,030,910 
1,792,465 
1,341,415 

28,657,683 
53,680 
27.375 


101,221.784 


In  addition  to  consuming  the  current  production  of  crude  oil,  the 
storage  was  drawn  upon  at  an  average  rate  of  130,217  barrels  per 
month  during  1919.     According  to  the  Standard  Oil  Company*  the 


•standard  Oil  Bulletin,  January,  1920. 


STATISTICS  OF  ANNUAL   PRODUCTION.  29 

stocks  on  hand  December  31,  1919,  amounting  to  30,480,323  barrels,  a 
decrease  of  1,562,600  barrels  from  the  32,042,323  barrels  on  hand  Decem- 
ber 31,  1918. 

Financial  and  Operating  Condition  of  California  Oil   Fields,  1919. 

Financial  results  of  the  oil  business  during  1919,  are  shown  by  the 
following  tables.  The  outstanding  features  are:  (1)  the  continued 
substantial  increase  of  prices  for  all  grades  over  the  1918  figures;  (2) 
a  decrease  in  most  of  the  fields  in  the  numbjer  of  barrels  per  well  per 
day  yield;  (3)  an  increase  in  operating  costs  per  barrel,  resulting  in 
raising  the  cost  per  well  per  day. 

Increases  were  registered  in  the  number  of  barrels-per-well-per-day 
yield  in  Los  Angeles-Orange  and  Ventura  counties,  the  former  on 
account  of  developments  in  the  Montebello  field,  and  the  latter  from 
scattered  new  production  in  several  small  fields.  Another  interesting 
feature  is  that  the  Kern  River  field,  as  in  1918,  again  shows  a  fractional 
increase  in  the  yield  per-well-per-day,  which  means  that  that  field  is 
more  than  holding  its  own.  This  is  due  in  large  part  to  the  corrective 
measures  being  taken  in  the  systematic  repairing  of  oil  wells  against 
water  encroachment.  Portions  of  this  field  have  been  among  the  worst 
water-flooded  in  the  state.  Systematic  repair  work  was  begun  there  in 
1918,  under  the  supervision  of  the  Department  of  Petroleum  and  Gas  of 
the  State  Mining  Bureau.  Results  following  such  repairs  indicate  that 
the  production  of  oil  can  be  nearly  or  quite  doubled,  if  proper  steps  are 
taken  to  stop  the  flow  of  water ;  but  this  work  can  properly  be  pursued 
only  after  thorough  engineering  investigation  of  the  underground  con- 
ditions, covering  not  only  the  particular  property  involved  but  all 
neighboring  properties.. 

Operating  cost  per  well  is  not  always  lower  for  the  dividend  com- 
panies than  others.  Profitable  operations  seem  to  depend  generally 
upon  large  wells,  high-grade  oil,  and  proximity  to  market.  There  is 
nothing  to  indicate  that  unnatural  causes  or  manipulation  have  affected 
the  profits  of  one  producer  against  another.  It  may  be  noted  that  both 
price  and  profits  have  usually  been  greater  in  the  Los  Ang^les-Orange- 
Ventura  fields  than  in  others,  doubtless  largely  due  to  the  proximity 
to  market  and  higher  grades  of  oil.  Crude  oil  testing  as  high  as  56° 
Baume  is  being  obtained  from  some  of  the  Ventura  County  wells. 


30 


MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF    CALIFORNIA. 


TABLE    H. 
Capitalization. 


Number  of 
companies 
considered* 


Per  cent  of 

total  product 

of  field 


Capital 


Property 


Ooalinga    _,_ 

Kern  River  

Midway   

Sunset 

McKittrick,  Lost  Hills,  Belridge— 

Santa  Barbara  County — _ 

Ventura  County  

Lop  Angeles  and  Orange  Counties- 
Subtotals    

Miscellaneous  and  marketing  com 
panics    

Totals   


41 
46 
64 
24 
17 
13 
17 
30 


252 


33 


285 


54 


$2,432,254 
0,999,478 
9,311,609 
2,719,880 
1,137,508 
1,037.295 
722,873 
5,574,868 


$8,248,487 
7,273,207 

30,424.310 
5,800,059 
9,787,764 
4,998,986 
7,296,583 
6,233.075 


$28,935,706      $80,067,471 
111,663,309        99,363,765 


$140,599,075  I  $179,431,236 


»See  also  Table  J,  following. 


STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAL   PRODUCTION. 


31 


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MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF    CALIFORNIA. 


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STATISTICS   OP   ANNUAL   PRODUCTION. 


33 


Proved  Oil  Land. 

The  area  of  proved  oil  land  increased  about  3%  during  1919,  to  a 
total  of  91,792  acres,  with  all  of  the  important  oil  producing  counties 
contributing  to  the  increase.  Estimates  of  the  total  amount  of  oil  which 
can  be  recovered  from  the  land  are  little  better  than  pure  guesses  but 
it  does  seem  most  probable  that  the  average  acre  will  ultimately  yield 
much  less  than  fifty  thousand  barrels. 

The  figures  in  detail  are  as  follows : 


TABLE   K. 


I,                                                               County 

Land  (acres) 

Wells  (No.) 

1 

'Fresno   

13,924 

58,371 

2,931 

3,879 

772 

9.663 

80 

2,172 

1,274 
5,324 
♦833 

Kern    

Los  Angeles  

Orange  

542 

San  Luis   Obispo _ 

17 

Santa  Barbara  . 

448 

Santa  Clara  

9 

Ventura    

481 

Totals 

91,792 

8,928 

*Not  including  a  portion  of  the  Los  Angeles  City  field,  which  portion  contains  approximately 
200  wells. 


3-4598 


34  MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OP   CALIFORNIA. 

CHAPTER   THREE. 

METALS. 

The  total  value  of  metals  produced  in  California  during  1919  was 
$25,120,779.  The  chief  of  these  is,  and  always  has  been,  gold,  followed 
in  order  in  1919  by  copper,  quicksilver,  silver,  manganese,  lead,  tung- 
sten, zinc,  platinum,  and  iron.  Deposits  of  ores  of  nickel  and  vanadium 
have  also  been  found  in  the  state,  although  there  has  as  yet  been  no 
commercial  output  of  them.  There  was  no  production  of  antimony, 
cadmium,  nor  molybdenum.  The  above  total  value  is  a  net  decrease 
of  $12,565,293  from  the  1918  total  of  $37,686,072.  This  was  due  to 
the  marked  drop  in  all  of  the  metals,  except  gold  and  platinum,  which 
showed  small  proportional  increases.  The  greatest  loss  was  made  by 
copper,  of  $7,683,637;  followed  by  tungsten,  $2,612,906;  and  quick- 
silver, $1,226,091. 

California  leads  all  states  in  the  Union  in  her  gold  production,  and 
the  precious  metal  is  widely  distributed  throughout  the  state.  Twent\ - 
nine  of  the  fifty-eight  counties  reported  an  output  in  1919  from  either 
mines  or  dredges. 

Copper,  which  is  second  in  importance  among  the  metals  of  the  state, 
occurs  in  the  following  general  districts :  the  Shasta  County  belt,  which 
is  by  far  the  most  important ;  the  Coast  Range  deposits,  extending  more 
or  less  continuously  from  Del  Norte  in  the  north  to  San  Luis  Obispo 
County  in  the  south ;  the  Sierra  Nevada  foothill  belt,  starting  in  Plumas 
and  running  in  a  general  southerly  and  southeasterly  direction  through 
the  Mother  Lode  counties  and  ending  in  Kern ;  the  eastern  belt  in  Mono 
and  Inyo  counties ;  and  the  southern  belt,  in  San  Bernardino,  Riverside, 
and  San  Diego  counties. 

Silver  is  not  generally  found  alone  in  the  state,  but  is  associated  to  a 
greater  or  less  extent  with  gold,  copper,  lead,  and  zinc. 

Quicksilver  has  for  many  years  been  one  of  the  state 's  staple  products 
and  California  supplies  approximately  75%  of  the  nation's  output  of 
this  metal. 

Tungsten  is  found  in  but  few  other  localities  of  importance  in  the 
United  States. 

Large  deposits  of  iron  ore  have  long  been  known  in  several  sections 
of  the  state,  but  for  various  economic  reasons  this  branch  of  the  mineral 
industry  thus  far  has  made  only  slight  progress  here. 


STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAL   PRODUCTION. 


35 


A  comparison  of  the  1919  metal  output  with  that  of  1918  is  afforded 
by  the  following  table: 


1918 

1919 

Metal 

Amount 

Value 

Amount 

"Value 

Increase  4- 
Value 

Oadmium 

» 
47,793,046  lbs. 

» 

$11,805,883 

16,529,162 

15,947 

956,006 

979,235 

* 

42,788 

2,579,472 

1,427,861 

2,832,222 

506,486 

11,030 

.    _ 

Copper    

22,162,605  lbs. 

$4,122,246 

17,335,100 

13,796 

219,397 

451,422 

$7,683,637— 

Gold       - --    

805,938+ 

Iron  ore  —    

3,108  tons 
13,464,869  lbs. 
26,075  tons 

571  OZ. 
22,621  flasks 

1,982  tons 
5,565,561  lbs. 

2,300  tons 
4,139,562  lbs. 
11,569  tons 

2,151— 

Lead  - 

736,609^ 

Manganese  ore      

527,813— 

Molybdenum 

•       _ 

Platinum    

Quicksilver             - 

418  oz. 
15,200  flasks 

60,611 

1,353,381 

1,244,464 

219,316 

101,04(1 

17,823+ 

1,226,091- 

183,397— 

Silver 

Tungsten   concentrates   

Zinc    

Cadmium   and  molybdenum* 

214  tons 
1,384,192  lbs. 

2,612,906- 

405,420- 

11,030— 

Totals 

$37,686,072 

$25,120,779 

$12,585,293- 

^Combined  to  conceal  output  ol  a  single  operator  in  each. 


ALUMINUM. 

Bibliography:  Bulletins  38,  67. 

No  workable  deposits  of  bauxite  have  been  discovered  in  the  state, 
although  from  time  to  time  small  quantities  of  the  impure  material 
have  been  the  foundation  of  extravagant  reports  regarding  such 
discoveries. 

ANTIMONY. 

Bibliography:  State  Mineralogist  Reports  XII,  XIII,  XIV,  XV. 
Bulletin  38. 

Antimony  is  known  to  exist  in  a  number  of  places  in  California, 
having  been  reported  from  Kern,  Inyo,  Nevada,  Riverside,  San  Benito, 
and  Santa  Clara  counties.  The  Kern  County  deposits,  some  of  which 
•carry  the  native  metal,  are  possibly  the  best  known,  and  efforts  were 
made  to  work  some  of  them  before  California  was  a  part  of  the  United 
States.  The  commonest  occurrence  is  in  the  form  of  the  sulphide, 
stibnite.  No  continuous  production,  however,  has  been  maintained,  the 
output  for  1915  to  1917  inclusive,  being  the  first  reported  since  1901. 
There  was  none  produced  in  1919. 

From  the  low  point  of  5.44^  to  7.11^  per  pound,  according  to  brand, 
in  July,  1914,  the  price  of  antimony  rose  gradually,  though  not  steadily, 
to  44^  by  the  middle  of  January,  1916.  American  antimony,  for  the 
first  time  in  many  years,  appeared  on  the  market  in  competition  with 
the  Chinese  and  Japanese  product.  From  $1  to  $2.25  per  unit  was 
paid  for  ore,  and  at  first  a  minimum  of  50%  accepted ;  but,  later,  some 


3G 


MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OP   CALIFORNIA. 


lower  grade  ore  was  smelted.  The  price  remained  at  44^  (San  Fran- 
cisco quotations)  until  the  middle  of  April,  1916,  then  declined  quite 
rapidly  to  lOc^  in  August.  It  varied  around  10^  to  14^  during  most 
of  1917  and  1918.  With  the  price  below  12^  per  pound  for  the  metal, 
few  if  any  of  the  California  mines  can  operate  profitably. 

The  production  of  antimony  by  years  since  1887  has  been  as  follows : 


Year 

Tons 

Value 

Year 

Tons 

Value 

1887 

75 
100 
50 
150 
33 
17 
20 
40 
75 

$15,500 
20,000 
2,250 
6,000 
1,485 
2,320 
3.500 
1,200 
13,500 

1900    

70 
50 

510 
1,015 

158 

$5,700 

1888 

1901 -•- - 

8,350 

1893 

1915 - 

35,666 

1894 

1916 — 

64,793 

1895 

1917 - 

18,786 

1896 

1918 

1897 

1919 

^9,Qfi 

Totals 

1899 

2,363 

$199,050 

BISMUTH. 

Bibliography :  Bulletins  38,  67.     Am.  Jour.  Sci.  1903,  Vol.  16. 

Several  bismuth  minerals  have  been  found  in  California,  notably 
native  bismuth  and  bismite  (the  ochre)  in  the  tourmaline  gem  district 
in  San  Diego  and  Riverside  counties  near  Pala.  Other  occurrences  of 
bismuth  minerals,  including  the  sulphide,  bismuthinite,  have  been  noted 
in  Inyo,  Fresno,  Nevada,  Tuolumne,  and  Mono  counties,  but  only  in 
small  quantities.  The  only  commercial  production  recorded  was  20 
tons  valued  at  $2,400,  in  1904,  and  credited  to  Riverside  County. 

In  1917,  a  few  pounds  of  bismuthinite  (Bi2S3)  with  associated  bis- 
mutite  (BioCOs.HgO),  was  taken  out  at  the  United  Tungsten  Copper 
mine,  in  the  Morongo  district,  San  Bernardino  County.  It  is  associated 
with  scheelite  in,  a  contact  deposit  between  limestone  and  granite. 

Recovery  of  bismuth  from  blister  copper  in  the  electrolytic  refinery 
has  been  noted,^  ranging  as  high  as  27.3  pounds  of  metallic  bismuth 
per  100  tons  of  blister  copper  from  the  Iron  Mountain,  Shasta  County,' 
ores. 

The  uses  of  bismuth  are  somewhat  restricted,  being  employed  princi- 
pally in  the  preparation  of  medicinal  salts,  and  in  low  melting-point 
or  cliche  alloys.  These  alloys  are  utilized  in  automatic  fire  sprinkler 
systems,  in  electrical  fuses,  and  in  solders. 


CADMIUM. 
In  1917  and  in  1918,  several  thousand  pounds  of  cadmium  metal, 
in  sticks,  was  recovered  by  the  electrolytic  zinc  plant  of  the  Mammoth 
Copper  Company  in  Shasta  County.     The  1917  output  was  the  first 

'Trans.  Am.  Inst.  Min.  Eng.,  Vol.   47,  pp.   217-218. 


i 


STATISTICS   OP   ANNUAJj   PRODUCTION.  37 

commercial  production  of  this  metal  recorded  in  California.  As  there 
was  only  the  one  producer,  the  exact  figures  and  value  were  concealed 
under  the  '  unapportioned '  item. 

The  cadmium  occurs  associated  with  the  zinc  sulphide,  sphalerite, 
probably  as  the  sulphide,  greenockite.  The  principal  uses  of  cadmium 
are  in  low  melting-point,  or  cliche  alloys,  and  in  the  manufacture  of 
paint  pigments.  The  cadmium  alloys  are  said  to  be  superior  for  some 
purposes  to  similar  bismuth  compounds.  Cadmium  is  also  used  in 
bronze  telegraph  and  telephone  wires. 

In  the  last  year  of  the  war  (1918),  the  United  States  Government^ 
and  certain  large  concerns  began  experiments  with  cadmium  solder  as 
a  means  of  saving  tin.  The  results  of  these  experiments  were  prom- 
ising, but  the  demand  for  tin  decreased,  and  the  armistice  was  signed 
before  cadmium  solders  became  widely  used.  Cadmium  was  used  by 
European  nations  during  the  war  for  some  strictly  military  purposes, 
but  little  exact  information  is  available  to  show  those  purposes.  Ger- 
many was  the  first  of  the  belligerent  nations  to  make  large  use  of 
cadmium  as  a  substitute  for  tin  in  solders,  being  cut  off  by  the  blockade 
almost  entirely  from  the  world's  sources  of  tin. 

The  average  prices  of  the  metal  and  the  sulphide  of  cadmium  in 
1919  were  $1.22  and  $1.20  per  pound,  respectively,  compared  with  $1.48 
and  $1.36  in  1918. 

COPPER. 

Bibliography:  State  Mineralogist  Reports  VII,  XIII,  XIV,  XV. 
Bulletins  23,  50. 

Copper  is  second  only  to  gold  among  the  metals  produced  in  Califor- 
nia. For  many  years,  Shasta  has  been  the  leading  county  in  the  output 
of  the  red  metal,  but  in  1919,  Plumas  advanced  to  first  place.  This 
was  due  to  the  maintenance  of  output  level  by  the  Engels  and  Walker 
properties  in  Plumas  bounty,  and  to  the  shutting  down  of  the  Mam- 
moth and  Afterthought  properties  in  Shasta  County.  Both  the  Engels 
and  Walker  mines  have  flotation  plants  in  operation,  and  ship  the 
concentrates  to  smelters  outside  of  the  state.  Other  important  pro- 
ducing counties  in  1919  were  Calaveras,  Siskiyou,  San  Bernardino, 
Madera,  and  Inyo,  in  the  order  named. 

In  1919,  some  yield  in  greater  or  less  amount,  was  reported  from  a 
total  of  16  counties  as  against  24  counties  in  1918.  The  production 
for  the  year  was  22,162,605  pounds,  valued  at  $4,122,246,  which  is 
less  than  one-half  the  output  of  the  year  1918.  The  European  war 
caused  a  greatly  increased  demand  for  copper  to  make  brass  shells  of 
all  calibers,  as  well  as  other  requirements.  This  raised  the  price  from 
the  1914  average  of  13.3^  to  17.5^  per  pound  in  1915;  24.6^  in  1916  j 

^U.  S.  G.  S.  Press  Bull.  No.  407,  May,  1919,  p.  1. 


38 


MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 


27.3^  in  1917,  and  24.7^  in  1918.  The  1919  average  dropped  to  18.6^ 
per  pound.  Following  the  signing  of  the  armistice  in  Europe,  the  price 
of  copper  dropped  to  15^  per  pound,  and  a  number  of  mines  curtailed 
their  operations  or  shut  down  entirely. 

Flotation  concentration  is  now  being  successfully  employed  at  a 
number  of  the  copper  mines  in  California,  notably  by  the  Engels 
Copper  Company  and  the  Walker  Mine  in  Plumas  County,  the  Calaveras 
Copper  Company  in  Calaveras  County,  and  the  Mammoth  Copper 
Company  in  Shasta  County. 

A  leaching  plant  has  been  built  near  Raymond  to  handle  ores  from 
the  Green  Mountain  copper  mine  in  Mariposa  County.  It  is  proposed 
to  place  their  product  on  the  market  in  the  form  of  bluestone,  cement 
copper,  and  other  by-products. 

Distribution  of  the  output,  by  counties,  for  1919,  was  as  follows : 


County 

Pounds 

Value 

Calaveras 

2,049,330 

169,713 

175,405 

24,879 

539 

10,193,951 

10,590 

256,933 

8,673,342 

607,923 

$381,175 

Inyo  _  

31,567 

Madera      _ 

32,625 

Mariposa 

4,627 

Mono 

100 

Plumas 

1,896,075 

Riverside 

. 

1,970 

San  Berna 

rdino   _. 

47,790 

Shasta 

1  613,242 

Del  Norte,  Nevada, 
Tuolumne* 

Placer,  San  Diego,  Siskiyou,  Trinity, 

113  075 

Totals 

22,162,605 

$4,122,246 

^Combined  to  conceal  output  of  a  single  operator  in  each. 


Amount  and  value  of  copper  production  in  California  annually  since 
such  records  have  been  compiled  by  the  State  Mining  Bureau  is  given 
in  the  following  tabulation : 


Year 

Pounds 

Value 

Tear 

Pounds 

Value 

1887 

1,600,000 

1,570,021 

151,505 

23,347 

3,397,455 

2,980,944 

239,682 

738,594 

225,650 

1.992.844 

13,638,626 

21,543,229 

23,915,486 

29,515,512 

34,931.788 

27,860,162 

19,113,861 

29.974,154 

$192,000 

235,303 

18,180 

3,502 

424,675 

342,808 

21,571 

72,486 

21,901 

199,519 

1,540,666 

2,475,168 

3,990,534 

4,748,242 

5,501,782 

3.239.975 

2,520,997 

3,969,995 

1905 

16,997,489 
28,726,448 
32,602,945 
40,868,772 
65,727.736 
53,721,032 
36,838,024 
34  169  997 

$2,6,50,605 
5,522,712 
6,341,387 

1888 

1906 

1889  _ 

1907 

1890 

1908 

5,350,777 
8,478,142 
6,680,641 
4,604,753 

1891 

1909 

1892 

1910 

1893 

1911 

1894 

1912 

1895 __ 

1913 

34,471,118  !       5,343,023 
30  491  535  1        4  f>.W  ^K 

1896 _ 

1914 

1897 

1915 

40,968,966 
55,809,019 
48,534,611 
47.793.046 

22,162,605 

7,169,567 
13,729,017 
13,249,948 
11,805,883 

4.122,246 

1898 _ 

1916 

1899 

1917     . 

1900 

1918 

1901 

1919 

1902 

Totals  

1903 

803,296,203 

$134,261,429 

1904 

STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAL   PRODUCTION. 


39 


Bibliography : 
letins  36,  45 


GOLD. 

State  Mineralogist  Reports  I  to  XV   (inc/ 
,  57.     U.  S.  G.  S.,  Prof.  Pap.  73. 


Bul- 


Gold  is  one  of  the  most  important  mineral  products  of  California. 
For  a  number  of  years  up  to  1916  there  was  a  marked  tendency  toward 
increased  activity  in  gold  mining,  as  investors  realized  that  many  of 
the  mines  and  prospects  have  not  been  exhausted.  The  increase  in  costs 
of  all  supplies,  labor  and  transportation  during  the  past  four  years  has 
made  it  increasingly  difficult  for  the  gold  miner  to  operate  at  a  profit. 


Re-soiling  gold  dredge  of  Natomas  Company  of  California,  near  Natoma,   Sacra- 
mento   County      Showing    discharge    equipment.      The    coarser    material    is    dropped 
into  deep  water,   nearest   to   the   boat,   the   finer  material   and   silt  being  carried  out 
farther  and  left  on  top. 

The  gold  output  of  not  only  California,  but  of  the  other  western  gold 
states  has  decreased  greatly.  Many  of  the  mines  have  been  forced  to 
close  down. 

The  gold  miner  is  decidedly  at  a  disadvantage.  The  prices  of  other 
metals  and  products  can  be  raised  to  meet  conditions;  but  the  gold 
miner's  dollar,  being  the  base,  has  to  remain  at  the  same  face  value 
though  its  purchasing  power  has  dropped  to  approximately  47%. 
A  bill  has  been  introduced  in  Congress  to  provide  for  a  subsidy  on 
new   gold   produced  in   the  United   States.    When   conditions   again 


40  MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

assume  a  normal  trend,  gold  mining  will  again  increase;  but  it  will 
probably  take  several  years. 

There  is  one  branch  of  gold  mining,  however,  that  has  apparently 
passed  its  zenith  in  California — that  of  dredging.  The  available  ground 
at  Oroville,  in  Butte  County,  the  oldest  field  in  the  state,  is  nearly 
worked  out.  Some  re-dredging  will  be  done  by  larger,  modern 
machines  in  the  earliest  ground  worked  there,  but  not  over  the  entire 


Dredged  land  as  left  by  the  re-soiling  dredge  shown  on  preceding  page.  Contrast 
these  twox. views  with  that  presented  by  the  photograph  shown  on  page  53,  post,  under 
Platinum. 

area.     In  May,  1919,  there  remained  but  three  boats  in  operation  at 
Oroville. 

The  State  Mining  Bureau  has  never  independently  collected  statistics 
of  gold  and  silver  production,  as  there  is  no  necessity  for  duplicating 
the  very  thoroughly  organized  work  of  the  U.  S.  Geological  Survey 
covering  those  metals.  The  data  here  given  relative  to  these  two  metals 
has  been  received  through  the  courtesy  and  cooperation  of  Mr.  Charles 
G.  Yale,  Statistician  in  Charge  of  the  San  Francisco  branch  office  of 
the  Division  of  Mineral  Resources.  Anyone  wishing  fuller  details  of 
the  production  of  these  metals  may  obtain  the  same  by  applying  to  the 
U.  S.  Geological  Survey,  Washington,  D.  C,  or  to  room  305,  U.  S. 
Custom  House,  San  Francisco,  California,  for  a  copy  of  the  'separate' 
on  the  subject. 


STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAL   PRODUCTION.  41 

The  final  figures  for  the  1919  gold  and  silver  output  segregated  by 
counties  not  being  available  at  the  time  of  compiling  the  other  portions 
of  the  present  bulletin,  it  has  been  deemed  best  to  estimate  the  gold 
and  silver,  and  thus  avoid  delay  in  issuing  the  data  on  the  other 
minerals  of  California.  The  delay  in  compilation  of  gold  and  silver 
figures  is  due  to  the  necessity  of  gathering  also  additional  data  incident 
to  the  Fourteenth  Census,  by  the  U.  S.  Geological  Survey  in  conjunc- 
tion with  the  Census  Bureau. 

There  was  apparently  a  slight  increase  in  the  1919  gold  output  of 
California,  compared  to  the  1918  yield;  but  the  outlook  for  1920  is 
far  from  encouraging.  Among  those  that  have  been  large  producers, 
the  Argonaut  and  Kennedy  mines  in  Amador  County  have  been  non- 
productive for  several  months  on  account  of  a  stubborn  underground 
fire  and  the  flooding  of  the  workings  to  conquer  it ;  and  the  North  Star 
mine  in  Nevada  County  has  been  working  at  only  part  capacity.  In 
addition  to  these,  two  of  the  large  copper  smelters,  the  Mammoth  and 
the  Mountain,  which  have  yielded  important  amounts  of  gold  and 
silver,  have  been  shut  down,  though  the  latter  is  just  (July,  1920) 
resuming. 

The  following  is  quoted  from  the  mid-year  review  by  Yale^,  as  to 
conditions  during  the  first  6  months  of  1920 : 

"Numerous  properties  continue  to  be  operated  at  a  loss,  which  were  profitable 
under  normal  conditions.  Once  shut  down  and  filled  with  water,  such  mines  may 
never  be  reopened,  as  the  cost  of  rehabilitation  is  apt  to  be  prohibitive.  Two  of 
the  most  productive  mines  of  the  Mother  Lode,  with  workings  extending  vertically 
below  4000  feet,  had  to  be  flooded  to  extinguish  disastrous  fires  and  now  hard  and 
expensive  work  is  being  done  in  unwatering  them.  This  work  was  commenced  as  soon 
as  the  fire  was  out  to  avoid  as  far  as  possible  caving  and  destruction  of  timber. 
On  the  Mother  Lode  five  or  six  years  ago  they  could  make  a  profit  on  $3.50  ore 
but  now  nothing  can  well  be  classed  as  ore  under  $6  per  ton  value.  Not  only  the 
quartz  but  the  placer  field  also  is  affected.  One  large  dredging  company,  handling 
about  36.000,000  tons  of  gravel  yearly,  six  years  ago  worked  14  dredges  which  dug 
up  $2,637,700  in  gold  at  a  cost  of  $15  per  fine  ounce.  Last  year  they  worked  11 
dredges  and  their  gold  output  of  $1,840,000  cost  $23  per  fine  ounce.  It  is  found 
less  costly  to  absorb  the  loss  than  to  close  down  the  plant,  for  taxes,  insurance, 
deterioration  of  equipment,  and  breaking  up  of  organization  would  be  greater  than 
this  present  loss, 

"During  the  first  six  months  of  1920  the  United  States  Mint  and  local  smelters  and 
refiners,  to  which  most  of  the  newly  mined  gold  from  California  is  sent,  received 
from  the  mines  of  the  state  $7,811,390  in  gold,  or  $1,086,739  less  than  during  the 
first  six  months  of  1919.  For  the  same  period  these  institutions  received  503,794 
ounces  of  silver,  or  376,310  ounces  more  than  in  the  first  half  of  1919.  These 
figures  show  a  loss  in  1920  for  the  period  named  of  12  per  cent  in  gold  and  a  gain 
of  284  per  cent  in  silver  output.  This  abnormal  increase  in  silver  is  due  entirely 
to  the  operations  of  a  newly-discovered  silver  mine  in  San  Bernardino  County,  just 
over  the  border  of  Kern  County.  The  loss  in  gold  is  caused  by  cessation  or  curtail- 
ment of  operations  in  certain  large  mines  on  the  Mother  Lode  and  elsewhere  and  the 
stoppage  of  work  on  numbers  of  smaller  mines,  owing  to  high  costs  of  supplies  and 
costs   of   and    scarcity   of   skilled  labor. 

"In  1918  there  was  a  falling  off  in  California  in  the  production  of  gold,  compared 
with  1917,  of  over  $3,500,000  for  the  year;  but  in  1919,  with  an  estimated  production 
of  $17,380,000,  there  was  a  gold  increase  of  $852,000  over  1918,  which  showed  some 
recovery  toward  normal  output,  as  predicted  in  the  midyear  review  of  1919.  However, 
if  the  monthly  receipts  at  the  mints,  smelters,  and  refineries  for  the  last  six  months 
of  1920  keep  up  the  same  ratio  as  in  the  first  six  months,  the  total  California  gold 
output  for  1920  should  be  $15,622,000,  or  $1,758,000  less  than  in  1919.  It  is  probable 
that  some  such  deficit  will  be  shown  when  the  final  figures  are  compiled,  as  the 
existing  conditions  in  the  gold-mining  Industry  of  the  state  continue  to  be  exceed- 
ingly   unfavorable    to    even    normal    production.     Most    of    the    California    silver    is 

Tale,  C,  G.,  Press  Bulletin,  U.  S.  G.  S.,  July,  1920. 


42  MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

obtained  In  the  mining  of  gold,  copper  and  lead  ores,  as  a  secondary  product,  for 
there  are  very  few  purely  silver  mines  being  operated  in  the  state.  Within  the 
past  year,  however,  a  number  of  old  silver  mines  have  been  started  up  again,  owing 
to  high  prices  of  the  metal.  These  are  mainly  in  the  southern  portion  of  the  state, 
where  one,  discovered  in  1919,  continues  to  make  a  high  monthly  production. 

"At  Grass  Valley,  the  most  important  of  the  quartz  mining  districts  of  the  state, 
the  larger  mines  are  affected  by  a  shortage  of  skilled  miners.  Higher  wages  in 
lumber  camps  and  shipyards  have  induced  many  to  give  up  mining  work.  The 
Empire  mines,  the  most  productive  of  the  deep-gold  mines  of  the  state,  has  made  many 
extensive  improvements  this  year  and  has  an  80-stamp  mill  instead  of  the  two  on 
the  Empire  and  Pennsylvania  claims.  The  North  Star  at  the  same  place  continues 
production  but  at  a  lesser  rate  than  during  normal  times.  At  Jackson  and  Sutter 
Creek,  Amador  County,  the  most  productive  district  in  the  Mother  Lode,  the 
principal  producers  have  made  little  output  this  year,  owing  to  the  necessity  of 
unwatering  the  mines  after  flooding  them  to  extinguish  flre.  The  highly  produc- 
tive activities  of  the  recently  reopened  Morgan  mine,  Calaveras  County,  are 
noteworthy. 

"Shortage  of  water  throughout  the  hydraulic  mining  regions  in  Sierra,  Plumas, 
Siskiyou,  Trinity,  and  other  counties,  where  this  class  of  work  is  carried  on,  has 
greatly  reduced  gold  production  from  this  source.  Drift  mining  has  also  languished 
and  no  new  properties  of  note  have  been  opened.  The  dredge  mining  industry  has 
probably  suffered  less  than  other  gold  producing  activities,  yet  skilled  labor  has 
been  scarce  and  high  costs  with  reduced  values  of  product  have  materially  lessened 
output  and  profits. 

"The  copper  mining  interests  of  California  have  not  been  in  a  satisfactory  condi- 
tion this  year.  What  was  formerly  the  largest  producer,  the  Mammoth,  of  Shasta 
County,  continues  entirely  closed  down  with  its  furnaces  at  Kennett  cold.  The 
Afterthought  property  has  suspended  work  and  drawn  its  pumps,  awaiting  a  rise 
in  the  price  of  copper.  The  Bully  Hill  has  recently  been  sold  and  has  been  for 
sometime  unproductive.  The  Mountain  Copper  Company,  at  Keswick,  started  work 
again  this  year  in  its  Iron  Mountain  and  Hornet  mines  and  is  reducing  its  ore  at  the 
smelters  on  San  Francisco  Bay.  There  has  been  curtailment  of  operations  at  the 
mines  of  both  the  Calaveras  Copper  and  Penn  mining  companies  in  Calaveras 
County.  Plumas  is  now  the  most  productive  of  the  copper-mining  counties  of  the 
state  and  new  activities  are  apparent,  while  the  principal  mines,  the  Engels  and 
Walker,  continue  productive  and  have  made  many  permanent  improvements  at 
ther   respectve   plants. 

"The  favorable  price  of  silver  and  lead  ores  has  led  to  the  reopening  of  numbers 
of  old  silver-lead-zinc  properties  in  Inyo  and  San  Bernardino  counties  and  encouraged 
the  development  of  many  prospects.  The  Cerro  Gordo  near  Keeler,  the  most  pro- 
ductive of  the  lead-zinc  mines,  has  been  started  up  again  and  ore  shipments  are  being 
made  by  the  'Rip  Van  Winkle,  Lucky  Jim,  Utacala,  Sterling,  and  other  mines  around 
Darwin.  Most  of  the  zinc  of  California  in  1920  will  come  from  these  southern 
counties,  as  very  little  has  been  produced  in  Shasta  County." 

The  estimate  of  $17,320,250  by  Yale^  for  the  gold  output  of  Cali- 
fornia for  1919  was  based  on  the  U.  S.  Mint  and  the  smelter  receipts 
for  fifty  weeks,  with  an  estimate  of  the  last  two  weeks  based  on  the 
percentage  which  the  December  yield  of  1918  bore  to  the  whole  product 
of  that  year.  This  system  of  calculation  has  been  found  to  give  a 
close  approximation  to  the  actual  results.  Using  the  above  as  a  basis, 
coupled  with  data  from  field  operations  of  various  members  of  the 
staff  of  the  State  Mining  Bureau,  and  a  comparison  of  the  figures  of 
platinum  production  in  hand,  the  author  has  made  the  estimated  segre- 
gation herewith  of  the  1919  gold  output  by  counties.  The  estimate  is 
made  in  order  to  facilitate  publication  of  the  other  portions  of  the 
present  report,  for  the  reasons  shown  in  a  preceding  paragraph. 


'Yale,  C.  G.,  Press  Bulletin,  U.  S.  G.  S.,  January,  1920. 


STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAL   PRODUCTION. 


43 


The  estimated  gold  production  of  California  for  1919  was  distributed, 
1)V  counties,  as  follows: 


County 

Value 

County 

Value 

Amador    _. 

$3,200,000 

700,000 

1,410,000 

500 

28.000 

5,000 

8,000 

200 

90,000 

230,000 

8,000 

1        400.000 

1          30,000 

3,000,000 

!        230.000 

Plumas 

$130,000 

1 1  f     -  -        -_        

Riverside 

400 

la\('ras                __    __ 

Sacramento 

1.820.000 
25,000 

I  Norte 

San  Bernardino 

Dorado  

Shasta 

525,000 

sno     --  

Sierra     _ 

290000 

imboldt    

Siskiyou        -  _ 

350.000 

aperial    __  _ 

Trinity 

500  000 

nvo -- 

Tuolumne  __. 

Yuba 

250000 

Korn -  - 

3  875000 

Madera  

Mariposa    

Modoc,    San    Joaquin. 
Diego    Stanislaus* 

San 

230000 

"Mono 

Total  value      _      _ 

Nevada __    

$17,335,100 

Placer  

♦Combined  to  conceal  output  of  a  single  operator  in  each. 
Total    Gold    Production    of   California. 

The  following  table  was  compiled  by  Chas.  G.  Yale,  of  the  Division 
of  Mineral  Resources,  U.  S.  Geological  Survey,  but  for  a  number  of  years 
statistician  of  the  California  State  Mining  Bureau  and  the  U.  S.  Mint 
at  San  Francisco.  The  authorities  chosen  for  certain  periods  were: 
J.  D.  Whitney,  state  geologist  of  California;  John  Arthur  Phillips, 
author  of  ''Mining  and  Metallurgy  of  Gold  and  Silver"  (1867) ;  U.  S. 
Mining  Commissioner  R.  W.  Raymond;  U.  S.  Mining  Commissioner 
J.  Ross  Browne ;  Wm.  P.  Blake,  Commissioner  from  California  to  the 
Paris  Exposition,  where  he  made  a  report  on  "Precious  Metals"  (1867) ; 
John  J.  Valentine,  author  for  many  years  of  the  annual  report  on 
precious  metals  published  by  Wells,  Fargo  &  Company's  Express;  and 
Louis  A.  Garnett,  in  the  early  days  manager  of  the  San  Francisco 
refinery,  where  records  of  gold  receipts  and  shipments  were  kept.  Mr. 
Yale  obtained  other  data  from  the  reports  of  the  director  of  the  U.  S. 
Mint  and  the  director  of  the  U.  S.  Geological  Survey.  The  authorities 
referred  to,  who  were  alive  at  the  time  of  the  original  compilation  of 
this  table  in  1894,  Avere  all  consulted  in  person  or  by  letter  by  Mr.  Yale 
with  reference  to  the  correctness  of  their  published  data,  and  the  final 
table  quoted  was  then  made  up. 


44 


MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 


The  figures  since  1904  are  those  prepared  by  the  U.  S.  Geological 
Survey : 


'Estimated. 


IRIDIUM  (see  under  Platinum). 


Tew 

Value 

Ye»r 

Value 

1848       ,  -  -  - 

$245,301 
10.151.360 
41,273.106. 
75.938,232 
81.294,700 
67.613,487 
69,433,931 
55,485,395 
57,509,411 
43.628,172 
46.591.140 
45,846,599 
44.095,163 
41,884,995 
38,854,668 
23.501.736 
24,071,423 
17.930.858 
17.123,867 
18,265,452 
17.555,867 
18.229.044 
17,458,133 
17.477.885 
15.482,194 
15,019,210 
17,264,836 
16.876.009 
15.610.723 
16.501.268 
18,839.141 
19.626,654 
20,030,761 
19,223,155 
17,146.416 
24.316.873 
13,600,000 

1885 

$12,661,044 

1849              

1886  

14,716,506 

1850  

1887  

1888  _ 

1889  — 

1890  

1891  

13.588,614 

1851 - 

12,750,000 

1852  

11,212,913 

1853   

12,309,793 

1854     

12.728,869 

1855        

1892  ._. 

12,571,900 

1856        -   -    -  - 

1893  

12,422  811 

1857  

1894  

13,923,281 

1858   — 

1895  - 

15,334,317 

1859   

1896  

17,181,562 

I860  

1897   

15,871,401 

1861   -  -   „ 

1898   

15.906.478 

1862  

1899 _ 

15,336.031 

1863  

1900  

15,863,355 

1864  

1901  -_-_ 

16,989,044 

1865  

1902     

16,910,320 

1866  

1903   

16,471,264 

1867   

1904    -     -   -  - 

19,109  600 

1868  

1905  _„ _ 

19,197,043 

1869  

1906  ___ _ 

18,732,452 

1870  _-_ 

1907   

16,727,928 

1871  

1908  

1909  - 

18,761,559 

1872  

20,237,870 

1873  

1910  

19,715,440 

1874 

1911  

19,738,908 

1875  

1912   

19,713,478 

1876  

1913  ^ 

20,406,958 

1877 

1914     

20,653,496 

1878  

1915  

22,442,296 

1879  

1916  

21,410,741 

1880  - 

1917  

20,067,504 

1881  

1918   

16,529,162 
*17,335,100 

1882  

1919 - 

1883 

Total 

1884  

$1,706,546,203 

IRON    ORE. 
Bibliography :  State  Mineralogist  Reports  II,  IV,  V,  X,  XII,  XIII, 
XIV,    XV.     Bulletins   38,    67.     Am.    Inst.    Eng.,    Trans.   LIII. 
Min.  &  Sci.  Press,  Vol.  115,  pp.  112,  117-122. 

Iron  ore  to  the  amount  of  2,300  tons,  valued  at  $13,796,  was  produced 
in  California  during  the  year  1919,  and  utilized  for  foundry  flux. 

There  are  considerable  deposits  of  iron  ore  known  in  California, 
notably  in  Shasta,  Madera,  Placer,  Riverside  and  San  Bernardino  coun- 
ties, but  production  has  so  far  been  limited,  on  account  of  our  having 
no  economic  supply  of  coking  coal.  Some  pig-iron  has  been  made, 
utilizing  charcoal  for  fuel,  both  in  blast  furnaces  and  by  electrical 


STATISTICS  OP  ANNUAL   PRODUCTION. 


45 


reduction.  Further  developments  along  the  line  of  electrical  smelting, 
or  discoveries  making  available  our  petroleum  fuel,  for  iron  reduction, 
would  lead  to  considerable  increase  of  iron  mining  in  California.  For 
the  present,  at  least,  the  most  feasible  possibilities  lie  in  utilizing  our 
iron  resources  in  the  preparation  of  the  various  alloys  such  as  ferro- 
chrome,  ferro-manganese,  ferro-molybdenum,  ferro-silicon  and  ferro- 
tungsten,  by  means  of  the  electric  furnace.  California  possesses  com- 
mercial deposits  of  ores  of  all  of  the  metals  just  enumerated. 

Total  iron  ore  production  in  the  state,  with  annual  amounts  and 
values,  is  as  follows: 


Tsar 

Totis 

Value       i 

Yoar 

Tons 

Value 

1881*    

9,273 

2,073 

11,191 

4.532 

$79,452 

17,766 

106,540 

1910  

579 
558 
2,508 
2.343 
1.436 
724 
3.000 
2.874 
3,108 
2.300 

$900 

1882 

1911 

558 

1883    -           -      -      - 

1912    -._ 

2,508 

1884    

1885 

40.963 

1913    

1914 

4,485 
5.128 

1886    

1887   

3.676 

19,250 

1915    - 

1916    „ 

1917   

1918  

2.584 
6.000 

1893    

1894    

250 
20O 

2.000  i 

1,500 ; 

11,496 
15,947 

1895    

1919  

Totals  

13,796 

1907    

1908    

400 

400 

51,113 

$431,467 

1909    

108 

174  1 

♦Productions  for  the  years  1881-1886  (inc.)  were  reported  as  "tons  of  pig  iron," 
(U.  S.  G.  S.,  Min.  Res.  1885),  and  for  the  table  herewith  are  calculated  to  "tons  of 
ore"  on  the  basis  of  47.6%  Fe  as  shown  by  an  average  of  analysis  of  the  ores  (State 
Mineralogist's  Report  IV,  p.  242).  This  early  production  of  pig  iron  was  from  the 
blast  furnaces  then  in  operation  at  Hotaling  in  Placer  County.  Charcoal  was  used 
in  lieu  of  coke.  Though  producing  a  superior  grade  of  metal,  they  were  obliged 
.finally  to  close  down,  as  they  could  not  compete  with  the  cheaper  English  and 
eastern  United  States  iron  brought  in  by  sea  to  San  Francisco. 

LEAD. 
Bibliography :  State  Mineralogist  Reports  IV,  VIII,  X,  XV. 

Lead  production  in  California  in  1919  fell  off  to  less  than  one-third 
that  of  the  preceding  year,  both  in  quantity  and  value.  The  average 
price  dropped  from  8.6^  in  1917  to  7.1^  per  pound  in  1918;  and  to 
5.3^  in  1919;  which,  however,  is  still  above  the  pre-war  prices  of  3.9^ 
in  1914  and  4.7^  in  1915. 

The  principal  production  in  this  state  comes  from  Inyo  County, 
which  contributed  89%  of  the  1919  yield,  followed  by  Shasta  and  San 
Bernardino  in  the  order  named. 


County  Pounds 

Calaveras    I  2,019 

Inyo    __.|  3,643,485 

Mono  \  1,556 

San  Bernardino   i  105,796 

Imperial,  Mftr^r^"".  Nevada.  Orange,  Riverside,  Shasta*..  386,706 

Totals    _ - _ - j  4,139,562 

♦Combined  to  conceal  output  of  a  single  operator  in  each. 


$107' 

193,105 

82 

5.607- 

20,496 


$219,397 


46 


MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 


Statistics  on  lead  production  in  California  were  first  compiled  by  this 
Bureau  in  1887.  Amount  and  value  of  the  output,  annually,  with  total 
figures,  to  date,  are  given  in  the  following  table : 


I 


Tear 

Tons 

Value 

Tear 

Tons 

Value 

1887   

580 
450 
470 
400 
570 
680 
333 
475 
796 
646 
298 
328 
360 
520 
360 
175 
55 
62 

$52,200 
38,250 
35,720 
36,000 
49,020 
54,400 
24,975 
28,500 
49.364 
38,805 
20,264 
23,907 
30,642 
41,600 
28.820 
12,230 
3,960 
5.270 

1905 

266 

169 

164 

562 

1.343 

1,508 

701 

685 

1,820 

2.349 

2,398 

6,196 

10,826 

6,732 

2.070 

$25,083 

1888       

1906  

19,307 

1889 

1907 

16,690 

1890 - 

1908 

46,663 

1891 

1909 

144.897 

1892  

1910 _ 

134,082 

1893   

1911  

63,173 

1894   

J912   -  -   - 

61.653 

1895 

1913 

160,202 

1896 

1914 

1915  _ _ 

183198 

1897 _ 

225,426 

1898 _ 

1916 _-_ 

855.049 

1899 

1917 :___. 

1,862,016 

1900 _ 

1918  -  _   _  _ 

956,006 

1901 

1919 

219,397 

1902 

Totals 

1903  - 

45,347 

$5  546,769 

1904 

MANGANESE. 

Bibliography:  State  Mineralogist  Reports  XII,  XIII,  XIV,  XV. 
Bulletins  38,  67,  76.     U.  S.  G.  S.,  Bull.  427. 

In  the  statistical  reports  previous  to  1915,  manganese  ore  was  included 
in  the  'industrial  materials'  list.     In  that  year  we  made  a  transfer, 
and  have  since  placed  it  under  'metals,'  because  by  far  the  greater 
tonnage   of  manganese   ore   is  utilized   in  the   preparation   of   ferro- 
manganese   and   employed   in^  the   steel  industry  both   for  its  metal 
content  and  to  slag  off  certain  impurities  during  the  open-hearth  treat- 
ment.    Though  its  other  uses  may  be  classed  at  '  chemical, '  the  tonnage 
thus  consumed  is  relatively  smaller.     Its  chemical  uses  are  as  a  decolor- 
izer  or  oxidizer  in  glass  manufacture,  and  as  a  constituent  in  electric  ^ 
dry  batteries.     The  chemical  uses  require  a  much  higher  grade  of  ore  j 
than  the  steel  industry.     For  steel  purposes  an  iron  content  is  accepta- 
ble, but  manganese  should  exceed  40%.     Silica  should  be  under  8%, 
though  higher  has  been  taken  during  the  recent  increased  demand. 
Phosphorus  should  be  under  0.20%.     For  electric  dry  cells,  the  iron 
content   should   be   under   1.5%    FcgOg,   and   SiOs,   under   6%.     For  ^ 
glassmaking  the  manganese  should  be  practically  free  of  iron.     On  j 
account  of  the  high  prices  prevailing  for  manganese  during  the  past 
three  years,  it  is  stated  that  selenium  was  replacing  it,  in  part  at 
least,  in  glass  factories. 


STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAL   PRODUCTION. 


47 


Though  the  imports  of  manganese  ore  from  the  Caucasus  district 
in  Russia  were  reduced  by  the  war  to  practically  nothing  (about  1% 
of  1914  figures),  the  United  States  received  important  shipments  from 
Brazil,  India  and  Cuba ;  so  that  the  total  imports  for  1916  were 
practically  double  those  of  either  1914  or  1915.  The  1916  figures,  were 
576,321  long  tons,  valued  at  $8,666,179;  for  1917,  a  total  of  629,972 
long  tons,  valued  at  $10,262,929,  of  which  512,517  tons  were  from 
Brazil;  in  1918  a  total  of  491,303  long  tons,  value  $15,095,867,  of  which 


Buckeje    Manganese    Mine,    west    of    Vernalis,    Stanislaus    County.     An    important 
producer  in   1918-1919.     Open  cut  at  right;  aerial  tramway  at  left. 

345,877  tons  were  from  Brazil;  in  1919,  a  total  of  333,344  long  tons, 
value  $11,229,184.  of  which  246,592  tons  came  from  Brazil.  The 
increased  demand  for  steel  products  increased  the  necessity  for  ferro- 
manganese,  which  is  used  largely  in  the  open-hearth  process  of  steel 
making.  This  resulted  in  curtailment  of  ferro-manganese  exports  from 
England,  and  the  resulting  shortage  in  the  United  States  was  met  by 
the  greater  imports  of  manganese  ore  from  Brazil  especially,  and  an 
increased  domestic  production  both  of  ore  and  ferro-manganese.  These 
conditions  caused  the  prices  for  the  ores  to  range  from  $30  to  $60 


48 


MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 


per  ton,  f.o.b.  rail,  California,  for  the  steel  grades,  to  above  $75  for 
chemical  grades,  during  1918. 


Open-cut  stope  of  Buckeye  Manganese  Mine,  Stanislaus  County.  Ore 
body  extracted  was  20'  wide  and  over  75'  long,  of  ore  carrying  48% 
manganese. 

Reports  received  by  the  Survey^  from  makers  of  manganese  alloys— 
ferro-manganese  and  spiegeleisen — 

"indicate  that  35  per  cent  of  the  metallic  manganese  used  in  the  alloys  made  ana 
Imported  during  1918  was  derived  from  ores  mined  in  the  United  States.  As  the 
proportion  of  domestic  manganese  in  such  alloys  was  only  4  per  cent  in  1913  and 
16  per  cent  in  1916  the  domestic  miners  of  manganese  made  a  notable  contribution 
to  the  nation's  independence  in  mineral  supplies  in  war  time.  Had  the  war  continued 
for  another  year  domestic  ores  would  probably  have  supplied  half  the  manganese  in 
the  manganese  alloys  needed  by  the  country." 


'U.  S.  Geol.  Surv.,  Press  Bulletin  No.  414,  July,  1919,  p.  1. 


STATISTICS   OP   ANNUAL   PRODUCTION. 


49 


Batteries,  chemicals,  and  kindred  industries  in  the  United  States 
consume  approximately  25,000  ton^  of  high-grade  manganese  ore, 
annually,  or  about  one-thirtieth  of  that  used  in  steel  manufacture. 

A  considerable  portion  of  the  state's  1917  and  1918  product  was 
utilized  in  California  in  making  ferro-manganese  by  electric  furnace; 
besides  shipments  which  were  sent  East.  Some  'chemical'  ore  was 
also  shipped.  For  many  years  the  prini.cpal  producing  section  has 
been  the  Livermore-Tesla  district,  in  Alameda  and  San  Joaquin  coun- 
ties, but  exceeded  in  1915  by  Mendocino  and  regaining  the  lead  in  1916. 


Manganese  Mine  on  Sec.  19,  T.  5  S.,  R.  6  E.,  M.  D.  M.,  Stanislaus  County. 
(Cummings  Lease.) 

In  1918-1919  the  largest  producing  county  was  Stanislaus,  which 
adjoins  San  Joaquin  on  the  south,  and  whose  manganese  district  is  a 
part  of  the  same  geological  province  that  includes  the  Livermore-Tesla 
district.^  Manganese  is  reported  to  exist  in  many  localities  in  the  state ; 
but  for  a  number  of  years,  particularly  since  the  discontinuance  of  the 
chlorination  process  in  the  metallurgy  of  gold,  production  was  relatively 
unimportant  until  the  activity  of  the  war  period  just  closed. 

The  production  of  manganese  ore  in  California  for  1919  amounted  to 
11,569  tons  of  all  grades,  having  a  total  value  of  $451,422  f.o.b.  railway 
shipping  point.     This  is  a  decrease  of  more  than  50%  both  in  quantity 


'See  Plate  II,  p.  24,  Cal.  State  Min.  Bur,  Bulletin  No.  76,  1918. 
4-4598 


50 


MINER Ali   INDUSTRY   OF    CALIFORNIA. 


and  value  from  the  1918  figures.  The  1916  output  nearly  equaled  the 
entire  previous  tonnage,  1887  to  1915,  and  was  about  double  the  value 
for  the  same  period.  Most  of  the  1919  output  of  California  manganese 
was  made  during  the  first  half  of  the  year  by  a  few  companies  who 
had  uncompleted  contracts  running  to  July  1.  Since  the  first  of  the 
present  year  (1920)  the  market  has  revived  and  several  properties  are 
being  reopened  both  in  the  Mendocino  and  the  San  Joaquin-Stanislaus 


Near   view   of   stope   on    Cummings    Lease   Manganese    Mine,    Stanislaus   County. 

districts.     The   following   quotations  have   recently    (June   24,    1920) 
been  offered: 

44%  — 49.99%  Mn  @  7652  per  unit. 
50%  — 52%  Mn  @  80p  per  unit. 
52%  and  up       Mn  @  82ft  per  unit. 


The  1919  output  was  distributed  by  counties  as  follows: 

County 

Tons 

Value 

Riverside   ___ ___    __ 

1,808 
343 
102 

8,921 

395 

$49,324 

San  Joaquin  

10,274 

Santa  Clara 

3,321 

Stanislaus    

374,584 

Alameda,    Amador,    Los    Angeles,    Plumas,     San    Luis 
Obispo*  - 

13.919 

Totals    -...^.._-.,„......_....__.__.. ,_„_.__.__. 

11,569 

-$451,422 

♦Combined  to  conceal  output  of  a  single  operator  in  each. 


STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAL   PRODUCTION. 


51 


In  1918  there  were  two  electric  smelters  in  operation  in  California 
making  ferro-alloys:  the  plant  of  the  Noble  Electric  Steel  Company  at 
Heroult,  Shasta  County,  and  the  newer  one  of  the  Pacific  Electro  Metals 
Company  at  Bay  Point,  Contra  Costa  County.     Both  w^ere  idle  in  1919. 

Production  of  manganese  ore  in  California  began  at  the  Ladd  Mine, 
San  Joaquin  County,  in  the  Tesla  District  in  1867.  When  shipments 
of  this  ore  to  England  ceased  late  in  1874,  upwards  of  5,000  tons  had 
been  produced  by  that  property.  For  some  years  following  that,  the 
output  was  small.  The  tabulation  herewith  shows  the  California  output 
of  manganese  ore,  annually,  since  1887,  when  the  compilation  of  such 
figures  was  begun  by  the  State  Mining  Bureau : 


Tear 

Tons 

Value 

Tear 

Tom 

Value 

1887 

1,000 

1,500 

53 

386 

705 

300 

270 

523 

880 

518 

504 

440 

295 

131 

425 

870 

1 

60 

$9,000 
13,500 
901 
3,176 
3.830 
3,000 
4,050 
5,512  : 
8,200 
3,415 
4,080 
2,102 
3,165 
1,310  1 
4,405  i 
7,140  ' 
25  i 
1     900 

1905  — 

1888 

1906  __. 

1907  _„ 

1908  _-. 
1909... 

1910  ... 

1911  .„ 

1912  ... 

1913  ... 

--- — —_ — -_-__ . 

1 

321 
3 

265 

2 

22 

$30 
25 

5,785 
75 

4,235 
40 

1889 

1890 _ 

1891 _ 

1892 

1893 

1894 

1895  - _ 

400 

1896 

1914  . 

150 

4.013 

13.404 

15,515 

26,075 
11,569 

1,500 

49,098 

274,601 

1897  _ _„ 

1898  -  - 

1915  ... 

1916  -. 

1899 

1917 

396,659 

1900  _ _._ 

1901 _ 

1918  ... 

1919  — 

979,235 
451,422 

1902 

Tol 

tals  

1903 

80,202 

$2,240,816 

1904 

MOLYBDENUM. 

Bibliography :  Report  XIV.     Bulletin  67.     U.  S.  Bur.  of  Min.,  Bul- 
letin 111.     Proc.  Colo.  Sci.  Soc,  Vol.  XI. 

Molybdenum  is  used  as  an  alloy  constituent  in  the  steel  industry, 
and  in  certain  forms  of  electrical  apparatus.  Included  in  the  latter, 
is  its  successful  substitution  for  platinum  and  platinum-iridium  in 
electric  contact-making  and  breaking  devices.  In  alloys  it  is  used 
similarly  to  and  in  conjunction  with  chromium,  cobalt,  iron,  manganese, 
nickel,  tungsten,  and  vanadium.  The  oxides  and  the  ammonium  salt 
have  important  chemical  uses. 

The  two  principal  molybdenum  minerals  are:  the  sulphide,  molyb- 
denite; and  wulfenite,  lead  molybdate,  the  former  furnishing  prac- 
tically the  entire  commercial  output.  Molybdenite  is  found  in  or  asso- 
ciated with  acidic  igeneous  rocks,  such  as  the  granites  and  pegamatites. 
The  chief  commercial  sources  have  been  New  South  Wales,  Queensland, 
and  Norway,  with  some  also  from  Canada. 


52  MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

Deposits  of  disseminated  molybdenite  are  known  in  several  localities 
in  California,  and  in  at  least  two  places  it  occurs  in  small  masses 
associated  with  copper  sulphides.  In  1916,  was  recorded  the  first 
commercial  shipments  of  molybdenum  ore  in  California. 

The  1917  output  included  some  concentrates  assaying  up  to  58% 
M0S2,  but  the  bulk  of  it  was  1.5%  ore  which  was  shipped  to  Denver, 
Colorado,  for  concentration.  That  production  came  mainly  from  Shasta 
County,  with  smaller  amounts  from  Inyo,  Mono  and  San  Diego  counties. 
There  were  two  concentrating  plants  built  in  California — one  in  each 
of  the  above  first  and  last-named  counties. 

In  1917  the  plant  of  the  Sacramento  Mining  Company,  lessee,  at  the 
Bour  mine  near  Ramona,  San  Diego  County,  made  a  small  output  of 
concentrates;  but  the  mine  has  since  reverted  to  the  owner,  and  the 
plant  dismantled. 

In  the  spring  of  1918,  a  flotation  plant  operated  for  a  short  time  by 
a  lessee  on  the  Boulder  Creek  mine,  near  Gibson  Siding,  Shasta  County, 
made  a  small  amount  of  90%  M0S2  concentrate.  The  ore  treated 
carried  2.6%  MoS,.     There  was  none  produced  in  1919. 

The  California  production  of  molybdenum  ore  by  years  is  summar- 
ized in  the  following  tabulation : 


Year 

Tons 

Value 

1916 

8 
243 
* 

$9,915 

1917 

9,014 

1918     

* 

Totals 

251 

$18,959 

♦Concealed  under  'Unapportioned.' 

NICKEL. 

Bibliography :  Report  XIV.     U.  S.  G.  S.,  Bulletin  640-D. 

Nickel  occurs  in  the  Friday  Copper  Mine  in  the  Julian  District,  San 
Diego  County.  The  ore  is  a  nickel-bearing  pyrrhotite,  with  some  asso- 
ciated chalcopyrite.  Some  ore  has  been  mined  during  recent  years  in 
the  course  of  development  work,  but  not  treated  nor  disposed  of,  as 
they  are  as  yet  unable  to  get  any^  smelter  to  handle  it  for  them. 
Nickel  ore  has  also  been  reported  from  Siskiyou  County,  west  of  Gazelle 
and  from  San  Bernardino  County. 

OSMIUM  (see  under  Platinum). 
PALLADIUM  (see  under  Platinum). 


STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 
PLATINUM. 


53 


Bibliography  :  State  Mineralogist  Reports  IV,  VIII,  IX,  XII,  XIII, 
XIV,  XV.     Bulletins  38,  45,  67,  85.     U.  S.  G.  S.,  Bull.  285. 

In  California  platinum  is  obtained  as  a  by-product  from  placer  oper- 
ations for  gold.  The  major  portion  of  it  comes  from  the  dredges  oper- 
ating in  Butte,  Calaveras,  Sacramento  and  Yuba  counties,  while  the 
hydraulic  and  surface  sluicing  mines  of  Del  Norte,  Humboldt,  Siskiyou 


Dredge  No.  11  of  the  Natomas  Company  near  Folsom,  Sacramento  County.  Of 
the  platinum  produced  in  California  in  1919,  the  gold  dredges  yielded  92  per  cent. 
Uomrare  these  tailings  piles  with  those  shown  in  the  photographs  on  pp.  39,  40,  ante. 

and  Trinity  and  the  dredges  of  Merced  and  Stanislaus  yield  a  smaller 
amount. 

The  production  for  1919  amounted  to  610  ounces  of  crude  platinum- 
group  metals,  containing  418  fine  ounces,  valued  at  $60,611.  Of  this 
amount  a  total  of  398  ounces,  crude,  or  92%,  came  from  the  gold 
dredges,  ^rude  platinum  varies  considerably  in  its  purity.  That 
marketed  in  recent  years^  has  averaged  around  51%  platinum,  3% 
iridium,  and  30%  osmiridium  or  iridosmine.  Some  platinum  is  also 
recovered  in  the  electrolytic  refining  of  blister  copper.  It  has  been 
found^  that  blister  copper  from  several  smelters  in  the  United  States 
carries  from  0.342  oz.  to  1.825  oz.  platinum  and  from  0.607  oz.  to 

^U.   S.  G.   S.,  Min  Res.,   1914,  Pt.  I,  p.   336. 

^Trans.  Am.  Inst.  Min.  Eng.,  Vol.  47,  pp.  217-218,  1913. 


54 


MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 


4.402  oz.  palladium  per  100  tons  of  blister  copper  treated.  That  from 
Iron  Mountain,  Shasta  County,  California,  also  yields  some  platinum. 
Iron  in  greater  or  less  amount  is  always  alloyed  naturally  with  native 
platinum,  and  usually  some  iridium  and  osmium. 

For  further  detailed  information  on  California's  platinum  resources, 
analyses,  tests,  et  al.,  the  reader  is  referred  to  Bulletin  85,  recently 
issued  by  the  State  Mining  Bureau. 

In  addition,  there  is  usually  some  platinum  recovered  as  a  by-product 
in  the  gold  refinery  of  the  Mint,  but  which  can  not  be  assigned  to  the 
territory  of  its  origin  for  lack  of  knowing  to  which  lots  of  gold  it  belongs. 
The  San  Francisco  Mint  is  stated  to  have  recovered  as  high  as  100 
ounces  of  platinum  in  a  single  year  from  this  source,  some  of  which 
unquestionably  came  from  California  mines. 

"United  States  refiners  of  gold  and  copper  produce  annually  ;il)out  1,500  ounces  of 
refined  platinum  as  a  by-product,  chiefly  from  copper  ore,  of  both  foreign  and  domestic 
origin."' 

For  1919,  the  distribution  by  counties  was  as  follows: 


County 

Fine 
ounces 

Value 

Bntte    _    — 

33 

8 
121 

2125 

124 

$5,071 

Calaveras    _- _  _-  __ 

1,076 

Shasta _    __ _       __  __ 

21.075 

Siskiyou   _ _  __  _ _             ^_ 

1.015 

Yuba        .-    __        __    -__    

13,098 

Amador,  Mendocino,  Nevada,  Sacramento,  San  Joaquin, 
Stanislaus,  Trinity^  *.__                  _:         _      

19,276 

Totals 

418 

$60  611 

2Includ?s  some  palladium. 

^The  fine  ounces  of  metal  contained  in  th?  Trinity  County  product  was  38  per  cent  iridium 
and  62  per  cent  platinum,  for  which  was  received  $17S  per  fine  ounce,  yielding  an  average  of  $103 
per  ounce  of  crude  material  as  shipped. 

'Combined  to  conceal  output  of  a  single  operator  in  each. 

Russia,  previous  to  the  war,  was  producing  from  90%  to  95%  of 
the  world's  platinum;  but,  since  1916  has  been  reduced  to  practically 
nothing. 

The  price  of  the  metal  consequently  rose  to  over  $100  per  troy  fine 
ounce.  During  1916,  it  varied  from  $90  in  January,  to  $55  in  August, 
$105  December  1,  and  closing  the  year  at  $82.  The  1917  price  was 
from  $100  to  $105.  In  1916,  the  miners  of  California  received  from 
$43  to  $76  per  ounce  for  their  crude  platinum,  and  an  average  of  $45.50, 
as  against  $29  to  $38  per  ounce  during  1915.  In  1917,  they  received 
an  average  of  $72  per  ounce,  and  $74.50  in  1918  for  crude.  During 
1918  the  U.  S.  Government  commandeered  all  new  platinum  produced 
at  a  fixed  price  of  $105  per  fine  ounce.  The  refiners  were  licensed 
and  were  required  to  turn  over  all  stocks  to  the  Government.     Osmium 


'Hill,   J.   M.,   Our   mineral   supplies.     Platinum:   U.    S.   Geol.    Surv.,    Bulletin    666-D, 


STATISTICS    OF    ANM   AL    l'H(  )I)UCTION. 


55 


was  quoted  at  $35  to  $40  per  ounce,  and  iridium  at  $175.  Osmiridium 
is  a  natural  alloy  of  the  two.  In  1919,  the  prices  reached  $165  per 
fine  ounce  for  platinum,  and  $2^0  per  fine  ounce  for  iridium. 

Next  in  importance  to  Russia  as  a  producer  of  platinum  is  Colombia. 
California  is  the  leading  producer  in  the  United  States.  There  have 
been  occasional  reports  of  platinum  in  California  being  found  in  vein 
materials,  but  as  yet  no  authentic  case  has  come  to  the  notice  of  the 
laboratory  of  the  State  Mining  Bureau.  The  latest  reported  occurrence 
is  in  association  with  lead  carbonate  in  San  Berndardino  County.  As 
platinum  and  chromite  are  alike  in  their  association  wth  serpentine 
derived  from  basic  igneous  rocks  such  as  peridotite,  pyroxenite  and 
dunite,  it  is  not  unlikely  that  some  day  platinum  will  be  found  in 
place  in  some  of  California's  abundant,  chrome-bearing  serpentine 
areas.  Platinum  and  chromite  have  been  found  intergrown  in  dunite 
on  the  Tulameen  River  in  British  Columbia. 

Besides  its  well-known  uses  in  jewelry,  dentistry  and  for  chemical- 
ware,  an  important  industrial  development  of  recent  years  employs 
platinum  as  a  catalyzer  in  the  'contact  process'  of  manufacturing  con- 
centrated sulphuric  acid.  It  is  also  necessary  for  certain  delicate  parts 
of  the  ignition  systems  in  automobiles,  motor  boats,  and  aeroplanes. 
Experiments  have  been  made  to  find  alloys  which  can  replace  platinum 
for  dishes  and  crucibles  in  analytical  w^ork,  but  so  far  with  only  slight 
success. 

The  annual  production  and  value  since  1887,  have  been  as  follows : 


Year 

Ounces 

Value    \ 

Year 

Ounces 

Value 

1887 : 

100 
500 
500 
600 
100 
80 
75 
100 
150 

$400 

2,000 

2.000 

2,500 

500 

440 

517 

600 

900 

944 

900 

1,800 

1,800 

9.tino 

1905 

■m 

$3,320 

1888 

1906 ^   91 

1907 :   300 

1908 i   706 

1909 i   416 

1910 !   337 

1911  .-__ 511 

1912 603 

1913 368 

1914 463 

1915 667 

1916 :   886 

1917 i   610 

1918   -     _-__.'   571 

1,^7 

1889 

6,255 

1890 

1891 __   _  . 

13,414 
10,400 

1892 ._ 

8,386 

1893   __ 

14,873 

1894  _._.  __ 

19,731 

1895 

17  738 

1896 

1897 

1898 _ 

1899 

1900 _ 

162 

150 
300 
300 
400 

14.816 
21.149 
42.642 
43.719 

42.78« 

1901 

250     3,200 
39  1     468 
70  ;    1.052  i 

123     1,849  \ 

i        i 

1919           __  *418  '         60.611 

1902 

Totals 

j 

1903 __ 

11 .140  !   S.^1.5  8.ti9 

1904 

! 

*rine  ounces. 


56 


MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF    CALIFORNIA. 


QUICKSILVER. 

Bibliography:  State  Mineralogist  Reports  IV,  X,  XII,  XIII,  XIV, 
XV.     Bulletins  27,  78.     U.  S.  G-.  S.,  Monograph  XIII. 
Quicksilver  was  produced  in  12  counties  in  1919,  to  the  amount  oT 
15,200  flasks,  valued  at  $1,353,381,  which  is  a  decrease  both  in  number 


Rotary,   quicksilver   furnace  at   Cloverdale  Mine,   Sonoma  County. 

of  flasks  and  value  compared  with  the  year  1918.  The  average  price 
received  during  1919,  according  to  the  producers'  reports  to  the  State 
Mining  Bureau,  was  $89.04,  as  against  the  record  price  of  $114.03  in 
1918. 

Prices. 

The  following  table  of  monthly  San  Francisco  quotations  per  flask  of 
75  pounds,  will  indicate  the  status  of  quicksilver  during  the  year  1919, 
as  compared  with  the  pre-war  price  of  about  $37  per  flask.     San  Fran- 


STATISTICS   OP   ANNUAL   PRODUCTION. 


57 


Cisco  is  the  primary  domestic  market  for  quicksilver.  The  1914  quota- 
tions averaged  $49.05  per  flask.  However,  because  since  the  war  there 
lias  been  speculation  in  quicksilver  by  parties  other  than  the  actual 
producers,  and  the  price  changes  have  often  been  rapid  so  that  quota- 
tions did  not  always  mean  sales,  we  have  since  1914  taken  for  the 
average  value  the  average  actual  sales  as  reported  to  us  by  the  producers. 


New  reduction  plant  of  the  W^estern  Mercury  Company  at  the  Cloverdale  Mine, 
Sonoma  County.  Rotary  furnace  in  center.  Site  of  old  Livermore  furnace  under 
shed  in  foreground.     Incline  tramway  on  surface  of  hill  at  left. 


This  gives  us  an  average  value  of  $81.52  per  flask  for  the  year  1915, 
instead  of  the  $85.80  average  of  quotations;  for  1916,  $93.50  instead  of 
$125.89;  for  1917,  $98.29  instead  of  $106.33;  for  1918,  $114.03  instead 
of  $117.50,  and  for  1919,  $89.04  instead  of  $90.29.  From  this,  it  will 
be  seen  that  the  speculative  element  in  the  quicksilver  market  has  prac- 
tically disappeared  since  the  close  of  the  war. 

San   Francisco  Quotations  of  Quicksilver,  1919. 


Month 


Average 
price 


Average 
price 


January 
February- 
March  ___ 

April    

May 

June 


$103  75 
90  00 

72  80 

73  12 
M  80 
94  90 


July  

August  _— 
September 
October  _. 
November 
December  _ 


$100  00 

103  00 

102  60 

86  00 

78  00 

95  00 


58  MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

The  decline  in  the  price,  following  the  armistice  in  Europe,  continued 
to  a  low  level  of  $72.80  average  for  the  month  of  March,  1919.  At 
present  writing  (July  17,  1920)  the  quotation  is  $85  per  flask. 

Present  Economic  Situation. 

The  famous  mines  at  Almaden,  Spain,  are  the  largest  world  producers. 
These  mines  are  owned  by  the  government  and  operated  by  contractors 
using  convict  labor.  The  cost  of  production  of  quicksilver  is  stated  to 
have  increased  from  $8.29  a  flask  in  1900  to  $15.22  in  1915.  Their  ore 
is  high-grade,  the  material  sent  to  the  furnaces  averaging  9% -11% 
mercury. 

For  two  or  three  years  previous  to  the  outbreak  of  the  European  war, 
our  normal  peace-time  consumption  of  quicksilver  in  the  United  States 
was  approximately  25,000  flasks  annually ;  and  our  domestic  production 
had  fallen  below  20,000  flasks  per  year.  Of  this  25,000-flask  peace-time 
consumption,  nearly  50%  went  into  the  manufacture  of  fulminate  for 
explosive  caps  for  mining,  quarrying,  and  sporting  arms  ammunition  as 
well  as  military  ammunition.  Our  domestic  production  being  inade- 
quate, partly  because  of  the  low  price  and  the  lower  average  tenor  of 
the  ores  mined,  necessitated  the  importation  of  up  to  5000  flasks  annu- 
ally. The  enormous  increase  in  munitions  manufacture  due  to  the  war 
temporarily  raised  our  requirements  correspondingly. 

There  were  no  imports  of  quicksilver  into  the  United  States  for  the 
year  1919.  The  exports  (mainly  to  the  Orient)  were  9107  flasks 
valued  at  $817,428  for  the  year. 

The  import  duty  of  10%  ad  valorem,  is  not  suflicient  to  protect  our 
American  miners  against  the  competition  of  the  convict-operated  mines 
of  Spain  where  quicksilver  can  be  produced  for  as  low  as  $8  to  $15  per 
flask,  as  noted  above.  The  duty  should  be  at  least  $25  per  flask  to  give 
us  proper  protection.  The  improvement  in  the  price  increased  the 
number  of  operating  properties  in  California  during  1916-1918.  Lower 
grade  ores  are  being  worked;  and  new  methods  of  ore  dressing  and 
reduction  have  been  tried. 

Following  the  signing  of  the  armistice,  all  but  about  five  of  Cali- 
fornia's mines  were  closed,  owing  to  the  uncertainty  of  the  future. 
The  industry  here  is  in  danger  of  extinction  due  to  the  prospect  of 
dumping  from  Europe,  because  we  have  not  sufficient  tariff  protection. 

There  are  those  who  have  taken  the  position  that  we  should  buy 
where  we  can  get  the  metal  the  cheapest,  and  let  our  own  industry  ' '  go 
hang,'*  as  "it  is  decadent"  anyway.  That  is  certainly  not  a  patriotic 
attitude;  nor  a  safe  one  either.  Though  its  total  value  may  be  small, 
as  compared  with  such  as  gold  or  copper,  yet  our  American  (which 
means  mainly,  California)  quicksilver  business  has  been  an  important 
and  vital  industry  for  about  70  years.     A  quicksilver  mine  can  not  be 


STATISTICS   OP   ANNUA!.   PRODUCTION.  59 

left  idle  ''in  reserve"  and  then  opened  up  at  a  moment's  notice  for  an 
emergency. 

If,  and  when,  our  American  quicksilver  industry  is  extinguished  by 
lower-priced  foreign  competition,  we  will  then  be  at  their  mercy,  and 
they  can  later  raise  their  price  to  any  figure  they  want  and  we'll 
liave  to  pay  it.  It  is  not  fair  to  our  American  capital  invested,  nor  to 
our  California  miners  (also  Nevada  and  Texas)  not  to  be  given  pro- 
tection against  the  convict-operated  and  other  cheap-labor  mines  of 
Spain,  Italy  and  Mexico. 

The  meat  of  the  situation  is  summarized  by  the  Tariff  Commission 
in  the  following  :^ 

"In  the  case  of  quicksilver,  the  question  can  be  squarely  raised  as  to  whether  the 
production  of  this  metal  can  be  considered  an  effective  American  industry,  inasmuch 
as  abundant,  cheaper  sources  of  supply  exist  elsewhere.  It  is  particularly  an  example 
of  an  industry  whose  products  are  placed  on  the  market  at  high  cost  because  of 
the  relatively  inferior  natural  resources  of  this  country  in  the  raw  material. 

"Quicksilver  is  an  essential  metal,  however,  of  vital  necessity  in  the  conduct  of 
war  and  widely  used  in  the  industries.  It  is  stated  that  American  resources,  although 
low  grade,  can  furnish  an  adequate  supply  for  many  years  if  a  stable  and  sufficient 
price  be  guaranteed.  Without  tariff  protection  the  United  States  will  be  dependent 
in  large  part  on  outside  sources  for  a  vital  commodity,  and  a  grave  question  of 
national   expediency  is   involved." 

In  the  opinion  of  the  quicksilver  men,  and  the  writer,  the  last  sen- 
tence, above,  is  the  most  important  of  all. 

Uses. 

The  most  important  uses  of  quicksilver  are  the  recovery  of  gold  and 
silver  by  amalgamation,  and  in  the  manufacture  of  fulminate  for 
explosive  caps,  of  drugs,  of  electric  appliances,  and  of  scientific  appar- 
atus. By  far  the  greatest  consumption  is  in  the  manufacture  of 
fulminate  and  drugs. 

One  new  use  for  quicksilver  is  in  the  introduction  of  a  small  amount 
into  the  cylinders  of  steam  turbines  to  improve  the  vapor  pressure  and 
thus  increase  efficiency.  This  mercury  is  recoverable  and  can  be 
re-used,  so  that  there  is  only  a  small  proportional  loss. 

Quicksilver  is  an  absolutely  essential  element  from  a  military  stand- 
point, as  there  has  not  yet  been  produced  an  entirely  satisfactory 
commercial  substitute  for  it  in  the  manufacture  of  fulminating  caps 
for  explosives.  However,  in  order  to  reduce  consumption  of  the  ful- 
minate, some  potassium  chlorate,  picric  acid,  trinitro-tuluol,  or 
tetranitro-methalmine  is  sometimes  mixed  with  it.  The  Ordnance 
Department  of  the  U.  S.  Army,  however,  will  accept  no  substitutes,  as 
they  have  thus  far  proven  unreliable. 

Concentration    of   Quicksilver  Ores. 

For  the  above  reason,  and  the  fact  that  California  has  been,  and  still 
is,  producing  from  70%  to  80%  of  the  quicksilver  yield  of  the  United 


'U.  S.  Tariff  Comm.,  2d  Ann.  Report,  1917-1918,  p.  78,  1919. 


GO 


MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OP   CALIFORNIA. 


States,  an  investigation  of  the  possibilities  of  concentration  for  quick- 
silver ores,  was  undertaken  by  the  State  Mining  Bureau.  In  the 
Bureau's  investigation  a  wide  variety  of  ores  was  tested  by  water  con- 
centration, flotation  with  oils,  and  a  wet  method  by  solution  with  an 
alkaline  sulphide.  Full  details  of  this  work,  as  well  as  furnace  prac- 
tices and  descriptions  of  the  California  mines  are  given  in  Bulletin  78, 
issued  during  1918. 

New  Equipment.  * 

The  most  notable  of  recent  developments  in  the  metallurgy  of  quick- 
silver is  the  adaptation  of  the  rotary  cement-kiln  to  the  reduction  of 
quicksilver  ore  at  the  New  Idria  mine,  San  Benito  County.  They  have 
there  installed  five  such  furnaces,  with  a  combined  daily  capacity  of 
500  tons.  The  lead  of  the  New  Idria  Company  in  the  matter  of  rotary 
furnaces  was  followed  at  the  Sulphur  Bank  mine.  Lake  County;  Bella 
Union  or  Rutherford  mine,  Napa  County;  Cloverdale  mine,  Sonoma 
County,  and  at  the  January  mine,  Yolo  County.  The  Cloverdale  is 
the  only  one  of  these  mines  at  present  (July,  1920)  operating. 

Production. 

Though  some  domestic  yield  of  this  metal  is  now  obtained  from  Texas, 
Nevada,  Arizona,  and  Oregon,  the  bulk  of  the  output  still  comes  from 
California. 

The  distribution  of  the  1919  product,  by  counties,  was: 


County 

Flasks 

Valire 

Lake    • 

229 
644 

7,409 
H,01v 
1,41b 

2,488 

$20,604 

Napa             -__ 

r>8,lK) 

San  Benito _ _    __    __ 

668,989 

Santa   Clara   _ __    _    _  _    __ __ 

271,762 

Sonoma     _    __      _ 

119,142 

Kprn   WJRgs.  San  Luis  Obispo,  Siskiyou,  Solano,  Trinity, 
'ToTo* __ 

214,744 

Totals 

15,200 

$1,353,381 

^Combined  to  conceal  output  of  a  single  operator  in  each. 


The  outlook  for  1920  promises  a  still  lower  yield  of  quicksilver.  The 
New  Idria  mine  in  San  Benito  County,  for  some  years  the  largest  pro- 
ducer in  the  western  hemisphere,  is  at  present  (July,  1920)  shut  down 
as  the  result  of  a  fire  which  destroyed  the  tramway  terminal,  ore-bins, 
and  electrical  equipment  necessary  for  the  operation  of  their  rotary 
kilns.  They  are  rebuilding,  and  expect  to  have  one  furnace  running 
on  ore  by  September  1,  and  to  add  another  each  30  days  thereafter 
until  all  five  are  doing  duty.  Neither  the  New  Almaden  property  nor 
the  Guadalupe  in  Santa  Clara  County  are  producing,  nor  the  Oat  Hill 
mine  in  Napa  County. 


STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAL   PRODUCTION. 


61 


Total  Quicksilver  Production  of  California. 

Total  amount  and  value  of  the  quicksilver  production  of  California, 
as  given  in  available  records,  is  shown  in  the  following  tabulation. 
Though  the  New  Almaden  mine  in  Santa  Clara  County  was  first 
worked  in  1824,  and  has  been  in  practically  continuous  operation  since 
1846  (though  the  yield  was  small  the  first  two  years),  there  are  no 
available  data  on  the  output  earlier  than  1850.  Previous  to  June,  1904, 
a  'flask'  of  quicksilver  contained  76^  pounds,  but  since  that  date  75 
pounds.  In  compiling  this  table  the  following  sources  of  information 
were  used:  for  1850-1883,  table  by  J.  B.  Randol,  in  Report  of  State 
Mineralogist,  IV,  p.  336;  1883-1893,  U.  S.  Geological  Survey  reports; 
1894  to  date,  statistical  bulletins  of  the  State  Mining  Bureau;  also 
State  Mining  Bureau,  Bulletin  27,  *' Quicksilver  Resources  of  Cali- 
fornia,'' 1908,  p.  10: 


ATerage 

ATerai* 

Tear 

Flasks 

i 

Value 

price  per     Tear 

Flasks 

Value 

^•S2jr' 

1850 

7,723 

$768,052 

$99  45 

1886 

29,981 

$1,064,326 

$35  50 

1851  

27.779 

1.859.248 

66  93 

1887 

33,760 

1.430.749 

42  38 

1852  

20,000 

1.166,600 

58  33 

1888 

33,250 

1,413,125 

42  50 

1853  

22.284 

1,235,648 

55  45 

1889  

26,464 

1,190.880 

45  00 

1854  _ _. 

30.004 

1,663,722 

55  45 

1890  

22,926 

1.203.615 

52  50 

1855  

33.000 

1,767,150 

53  55 

1891  

22.904 

1,036.406 

45  25 

1856 

30,000 

1.549,500 

51  65  !  1892  _ .- 

27,993 

1.139,595 

40  71 

1857  

28,204 

1,374.381 

48  73  1  1893 

30,164 

1,108,527 

36  75 

1858 

31,000 

1,482,730 

47  83  1  1894  — 

30.416 

934,000 

30  70 

1859  

13,000 

820,690 

63  13  1895  

36,104 

1,337,131 

37  04 

1860 

10,000 

535,500 

53  55  1896  

30.765 

1,075,449 

34  96 

1861  .. 

35.000 

1,471,750 

42  05  1897 

26,691 

993.445 

37  28 

1862  

42,000 

1,526,700 

36  35 

1898 

31,092 

1,188,626 

38  23 

1863 

40.531 

1,705,544 

42  08 

1899  

29,454 

1,405.045 

47  70 

1864  

47.489 

2,179,745 

45  90 

1900  

26,317 

1.182.786 

44  94 

1865 

53.000 

2.432,700 

45  90 

!  1901  

26.720 

1.285.014 

1   48  46 

1866  

46.550 

2,473,202 

53  13 

1  1902  

29.552 

1,276.524 

;   43  20 

1867  

47,000 

2,157,300 

45  90 

1903  

32,094 

1,335.954 

42  25 

1868  

47,728 

2,190,715 

45  90 

1904 

*28.876 

1.086,323 

37  62 

1869 

33,811 

1,551,925 

45  90 

1905 - 

i   24,655 

886,081 

35  94 

1870 

30,077 

1,725,818 

57  38 

1906  _ 

19,516 

712,334 

36  50 

1871  

31,686 

1,999,387 

63  10  1907  _— .— 

17,379 

663,178 

38  16 

1872 

31,621 

2,084,773 

65  93  1908  _ 

18,039 

763,520 

42  38 

1873 

27,642 

2,220,482 

80  33  1909  

16,217 

773,788 

47  71 

1874  

27.756 

2,919.376 

105  18 

1910  

17,665 

799,002 

45  23 

1875  

50,250 

4.228.538 

84  15 

1911  

19,109 

879,205 

46  01 

1876  

75,074 

3.303.256 

44  00 

1912 

20,600 

866,024 

42  04 

1877 

79.396 

2,961.471 

37  30 

1913  

15,661 

630,042 

40  23 

1878  

63,880 

2.101.652 

32  90 

1914  

11,373 

557.846 

49  05 

1879  

73.684 

2,194,674 

29  85 

1915 

14,199 

1,157,449 

81  52 

1880  

59,926 

1,857.706 

31  00 

1916 

21.427 

2,003.425 

93  50 

1881  

60,851 

1.815,185 

29  83 

1917  - 

24.382 

2.396.466 

98  29 

1882  

52,732 

1,488,624 

28  23 

1918 

22.621 

2.579.472 

114  08 

1883  

1884  

46.725 
31,913 

1,343,344 
973.347 

28  75 
8050 

1919  

15,200 

1.353,381 

89  04 

1885 

32.073 

986,745 

30  75 

Totals  . 

2,175,549  $105,925,413 

1    -    i   - 

1 

1 

'Flasks  ol  75  lbs.  since  June,  1904;  of  76i  lbs.  previously. 


62 


MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 


SILVER. 

Bibliography:  State  Mineralogist  Reports  IV,  VIII,  XII,  XIII, 
XIV,  XV.     Bulletin  67.     Min.  &  Sci.  Press,  March  1,  1919. 

Silver  in  California  is  produced  largely  as  a  by-product  from  its 
association  with  copper,  lead,  zinc,  and  gold  ores.  As  explained  under 
the  heading  of  Gold,  the  State  Mining  Bureau  does  not  collect  the 
statistics  of  silver  production  independently  of  the  U.  S.  Geological 
Survey. 

The  average  price  of  silver  during  1919  was  $1.12  per  ounce  at 
New  York  as  compared  with  54.8^  in  1914;  50.7^  in  1915;  65.8^  in 
1916;  82.4^  in  1917;  and  $1  in  1918. 

Because  of  delays  incident  to  gathering  data  also  for  the  Fourteenth 
Census,  the  final  figures  of  the  U.  S.  Geological  Survey  on  the  silver 
output  are  not  yet  available.  For  this  reason,  and  in  order  not  to 
further  delay  the  publication  of  the  data  relating  to  the  other  minerals 
covered  by  the  present  bulletin,  we  have  estimated  the  1919  yield  as 
segregated  in  the  tabulation  herewith. 

^"The  output  of  silver  from  California  mines  in  1919  is  estimated  at  1.121,069 
fine  ounces,  valued  at  $1,244,386  which  is  306,642  ounces  less  in  quantity  and  $193,325 
less  in  value  than  in  1918.  The  silver  produced  in  California  is  derived  mainly  from 
copper  and  lead  ores,  although  some  is  obtained  with  the  gold  mines  at  placers 
and  in  deep  gold  mines.  The  principal  producers  of  silver  in  California  are  the 
Mammoth  Mountain,  Balakala,  Shasta  King,  Afterthought,  and  Bully  Hill  copper  mines 
in  Shasta ;  the  Engels  Copper  Co.,  in  Plumas  County ;  the  Penn  Copper  Co.,  in 
Calaveras  County ;  the  Blue  Ledge,  in  Siskiyou  County ;  the  Island,  in  Trinity  County ; 
and  the  Ivanpah,  in  San  Bernardino  County,  These  are  all  copper  mines.  The  lead 
mines  that  produce  silver  in  large  quantity  are  the  Darwin,  Santa  Rosa,  Cerro  Gordo, 
Tecopa,  and  Slate  Range  mines  in  Inyo  County.  These  mines  together  produced 
1,007,335  ounces  of  silver  in  1918  and  only  345,272  ounces  in  1919,  so  the  decrease 
from  these  combined  properties  was  662,063  ounces  of  silver.  The  output  of  a  new 
productive  silver  mine  in  1919,  that  of  Rand  Divide  Mining  Co.,  in  Kern  County, 
served  to  overcome  to  some  extent  the  large  deficiency  shown  by  the  mines  mentioned 
above ;  but,  this  output  though  comparatively  large,  was  not  sufficient  to  make  up 
entirely  for  the  loss  mentioned.  Of  the  copper  and  lead  mines  named  above,  some 
were  closed  entirely  in  1919,  and  the  smelters  in  others  were  shut  down  for  the  year 
in  April  and  May.  All  were  much  less  productive  in  1919  tbaji  in  1918.  Notwith- 
standing the  high  prices  of  silver  during  the  year,  comparatively  few  of  the  old 
and  long-idle  silver  and  lead  mines  in  the  southern  part  of  the  State  became  very 
productive,  though  a  number  have  been  and  are  being  reopened." 

The  distribution  of  the  1919  silver  yield,  by  counties,  is  estimated 
as  follows: 


County 

Value 

County 

Value 

Amador  

$20,000 

2,500 

84,500 

4 

700 

40 

50 

1,200 

156,000 

457,000 

4,200 

5,500 

22,500 

54,000 

21.000 

Plumas 

$155,000 

Butte 

Riverside         __ 

1,500 

Calaveras 

Sacramento      __    

5,000 

Del  Norte 

San  Bernardino    __    _ 

40.000 

El  Dorado 

Shasta   ______ 

155,000 

Fresno   _ 

Sierra      __      _—       __      _.. 

2,200 

Humboldt 

Siskiyou 

16,000 

Imperial   _ 

Trinity    _ 

7,500 

Inyo  

Tuolumne 

17,000 

Kern  _.__ ___. 

Yuba    

15,000 

Madera 

Modoc,    San    Joaquin,    San 
Diego,  Stanislaus*    _ 

Mariposa    

1,070 

\Tr»nrk 

Total 

Nevada  

$1,244,464 

Placer 

'Combined  to  conceal  output  of  a  single  operator  in  each. 


lYale,  O.  G.,  Press  Bulletin,  U.  S.  Q.  S.,  January,  1920. 


STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAL   PRODUCTION. 


The  value  of  the  silver  produced  in  California  each  year  since  1880 
has  been  as  follows,  the  data  previous  to  1887  being  taken  from  the 
reports  of  the  Director  of  the  Mint: 


Tear 

Value 

Year 

Value 

1880  _ 

$1,140,556 

750,000 

845,000 

1,460,000 

M,185,101 

2,568,036 

1,610,626 

1,632,004 

1,700,000 

1,065,281 

1,060,613 

953,157 

463,602 

537,158 

297,332 

559,790 

422,464 

452,789 

414,055 

504.012 

^724,500 

1901 

«$571.849 

1881        

1902                                       

616,412 

1882  „__ _„ 

1903 

517,444 

1883 .._ 

1904 _ 

873,525 

1884 

1905 

678,494 

1885 ._„ 

1886 _ 

1906 

1907 _ 

817,830 
751,646 

1887 

1908 

878,057 

1888 

1909 

1,091,092 

1889 __ 

1910  ___ _ 

993,646 

1890 

1911  .-_ _ 

673,336 

1891 

1912 -_ 

799,584 

1892 

1913 _._ 

832,553 

1893 

1914 

813,938 

1894 

1915 

851,129 

1895 

1916    _ 

1,687,345 

1896 

1917 

1,462,955 

1897 

1918 _- 

1,427,861 

1898 

1919  

1,244,464 

1899 

1900 

Total      - — - 

$40,964,236 

iLawver,  A.  M.,  fn  Production  of  Precious  Metals  In  United  States:  Report  of  Director  of 
Mint,  1884,  p.  175;  1885. 

^Recalculated  to  'commercial'  from  'coining  value,'  as  originally  published. 

TIN. 
Bibliography:  Report  XV.     Bulletin  67. 

Tin  is  not  at  present  produced  in  California ;  but  during  1891-1892, 
there  was  some  output  from  a  small  deposit  near  Corona,  in  Riverside 
County,  as  tabulated  below.  Small  quantities  of  stream  tin  have  been 
found  in  some  of  the  placer  workings  in  northern  California,  but  never 
in  paying  amounts. 

Two  occurrences  have  also  been  noted,  in  northern  San  Diego  County. 
Crystals  of  cassiterite  were  found  there,  associated  with  blue  tourmaline 
crystals,  amblygonite  and  beryl.  No  commercial  quantity  has  been 
developed,  only  small  pockets  having  been  taken  out,  as  yet. 

The  principal  source  of  the  world 's  supply  of  tin  is  the  Straits  Settle- 
ments on  the  Malay  Peninsula,  followed  in  second  rank  by  Bolivia. 
Siam,  Burma  and  Cornwall  are  also  important  sources.  A  measurable 
amount  of  the  metal  is  also  recovered  by  de-tinning  scrap  and  old  cans. 

Total  output  of  tin  in  California : 


Year 

Pounds 

Value 

1891   „_ 

125,289 
126.000 

$27,564 

1892  _                                  _        

32.400 

_.._———_.— 

Totals   

m.28d 

$50,964 

6-1  MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OP   CALIFORNIA. 

TUNGSTEN. 

Bibliography:  Report  on  San  Bernardino  County,  1917;  Report  • 
XV.  Bulletins  38,  67.  U.  S.  G.  S.,  Bull  652.  Proc.  Colo.  Sci.  ! 
Soc,  Vol.  XI.     South  Dakota  School  of  Mines,  Bulletin  No.  12. 

The  metal,  tungsten,  is  used  mainly  in  the  steel  industry  and  in  the 
manufacture  of  electrical  appliances,  including  the  well-known  tung- 
sten filament  lamps.  Because  of  its  resistance  to  corrosion  by  acids,  it 
is  valuable  in  making  certain  forms  of  chemical  apparatus.  Its  employ- 
ment in  tool-steel  alloys,  permits  the  operation  of  cutting  tools,  such 
as  in  lathe  work,  at  a  speed  and  temperature  at  which  carbon  steel 
would  lose  its  temper^hence  the  name  'high-speed'  steels  for  these 
tungsten  alloys.  As  made  in  the  United  States,  tungsten  forms  13% 
to  20%  of  such  steels.  Some  chromium,  nickel,  cobalt,  or  vanadium,  are 
sometimes  also  included. 

Tungsten  is  introduced  into  the  molten  steel  charge,  either  as  the 
powdered  metal  or  as  ferro-tungsten  (containing  50%-85%  tungsten). 
The  specific  gravity  of  the  pure  metal,  19.3-21.4,  is  exceeded  only  by 
platinum,  21.5 ;  iridium,  22.4 ;  and  osmium,  22.5,  Its  melting  point  is 
3,267°  C.  (5,913"  F.),  being  higher  than  any  other  known  metal. 
Though  millions  of  tungsten  filament  lamps  are  now  made,  the  wires 
are  so  fine  that  the  metal  they  contain  represents  but  a  few  tons  of 
tungsten  concentrates  annually. 

Tungsten  ore  is  produced  in  California  principally  in  the  Atolia- 
Randsburg  district  in  San  Bernardino  and  Kern  counties,  followed  by 
the  Bishop  district  in  Inyo  County,  with  small  amounts  coming  from 
Nevada  County  and  from  the  district  near  Goffs,  in  eastern  San  Bernar- 
dino. Most  of  the  California  tungsten  ore  is  scheelite  (calcium  tung- 
state),  though  wolframite  (iron-manganese  tungstate)  and  hiibnerite 
(manganese  tungstate)  also  occur.  The  deposits  at  Atolia  are  the 
largest  and  most  productive  scheelite  deposits  known,*  and  the  output 
has  in  some  years  equalled  or  exceeded  that  of  ferberite  (iron  tungstate) 
from  Boulder  County,  Colorado.  It  is  interesting  in  this  connection  to 
note  that,  in  practically  all  other  tungsten  producing  districts  of  the 
world,  wolframite  is  the  important  constituent.  Burma,  the  largest 
producer,  reported  a  yield  of  approximately  3,300  tons^  of  wolframite 
concentrates  for  1917,  most  of  which  was  obtained  from  placers,  in 
part  associated  with  cassiterite  (tin  oxide). 

Imports  of  foreign  tungsten  ores  into  the  United  States  during  1919 
amounted  to  8400  long  tons  valued  at  $6,261,190,  compared  with  10,362 
long  tons  valued  at  $11,409,237  in  1918,  which  ores  are  duty  free. 
Owing  to  lack  of  protection  against  the  cheap  coolie  labor  of  Asiatic 


'U.  S.   G.   S.,  Bull.   652,  p.  32. 

nj.  S.  Commerce  Reports,  No.   167,  July  18,   1918. 


STATISTICS  OP   ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


65 


tungsten  mines,  and  the  present  low  market  prices,  practically  all  of 
the  tungsten  mines  in  the  United  States  are  now  closed  down. 

The  value  of  the  ore  is  based  upon  the  content  of  tungstic  trioxide 
(WO3),  and  quotations  are  commonly  made  per  unit  (each  1%)  of 
WO 3  present. 

In  California  in  1919,  there  were  marketed  1214  tons  of  high-grade 
ore  and  concentrates,  valued  at  $219,316,  which  is  only  about  one-ninth 
of  the  quantity,  and  less  than  ten  per  cent  of  the  value  of  the  1918 
yield.  The  market  prices  quoted  during  1919  ranged  between  $7  and 
$15.  The  tonnages  here  shown  are  recalculated  to  a  basis  of  60% 
WO3.  Most  of  the  concentrates  carried  59%  to  63%.  Previous  to 
1915,  a  single  company  produced  almost  all  of  California's  tungsten. 
During  the  latter  part  of  1915,  and  the  early  months  of  1916,  because  of 
the  high  prices  prevailing,  prospecting  was  much  stimulated,  and  the 
known  tungsten-bearing  areas  have  been  considerably  extended  both  in 
San  Bernardino  and  Kern  counties.  Some  shipments  were  made  from 
mines  opened  up  in  the  Clark  Mountain  and  New  York  Mountains 
districts  in  eastern  San  Bernardino  County.  In  these  latter  areas, 
wolframite  and  hiibnerite  are  the  principal  ores,  with  some  scheelite, 
while  at  Atolia  it  is  scheelite  only.  Scheelite  ore  is  also  extracted  in 
Inyo  County  near  Bishop,  and  three  concentrating  mills  have  been  in 
operation  there.     The  Nevada  County  ore  is  also  scheelite. 

There  was  no  tungsten  production  in  1919  from  either  Kern  or 
Nevada  County;  and  the  figures  of  Inyo  County  are  combined  with 
those  of  San  Bernardino  to  conceal  the  output  of  a  single  producer 
in  the  last-named. 

The  annual  value  of  tungsten  produced  in  California  since  the  incep- 
tion of  the  industry  is  given  herewith : 


Tear 

Tons  at 
flO%W08 

Value 

Tear 

Tons  at 
60%WO8 

Value 

1905 

$18,800 
189,100 
120.587 
37,750 
190,500 
208,245 

-inn  nnc 

1914 

$180,575 
1.005.467 

1906 

1915 

962 

1907 

1916 

2,270  '■      4,571,521 

1908 

1917 

2,466  i      3,079,013 

1909 

1918    -_ _ 

1,982        2.832.222 

1910 

1919 

214 

219,316 

1Q11                                        i 

Total   ._ 

1912  .._ L    _          206.0001 

$13,221,475 

1913 _.. 

r 

1        234,673 

VANADIUM. 

Bibliography:  Report  XV.     Bulletin  67.     Proc.   Colo.   Sci.   Soc, 
Vol.  XI.     U.  S.  Bur.  of  Mines,  Bulletin  104. 

No  commercial  production  of  vanadium  has  as  yet  been  made  in  Cali- 
fornia.    Occurrences  of  this  metal  have  been  found  at  Camp  Signal,  near 

5-4598 


66 


MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 


Goffs,  in  San  Bernardino  County,  and  two  companies  have  done  consid- 
erable development  work  in  the  endeavor  to  open  up  paying  quantities. 
Each  had  a  mill  under  construction  in  1916,  but  apparently  no  commer- 
cial output  was  made.  Ore  carrying  the  mineral  cuprodescloizite  and 
reported  as  assaying  4%  V2O5  was  opened  up.  Late  in  1917,  some  ore- 
carrying  lead  vanadate  was  discovered  in  the  29  Palms,  or  Washington 
district,  on  the  line  between  Riverside  and  San  Bernardino  counties. 
Vanadium  has  also  been  reported  near  Lotus  in  El  Dorado  County. 
There  is  a  growing  demand  for  vanadium,  for  use  in  the  steel  industry. 
Quotations  on  the  basis  of  vanadic  acid  are  misleading.  During  1918 
prices  ranged  around  $4  to  $5  per  pound  of  vanadium  contained  in 
ferro-vanadium.  The  cost  of  recovery  is  high.  The  association  of 
copper  is  very  detrimental. 


ZINC. 

Bibliography:  Reports  XIV,  XV.     Bulletins  38,  67. 

During  1919,  zinc  was  produced  in  Shasta,  Inyo  and  San  Bernardino 
counties  to  the  amount  of  1,334,192  pounds,  valued  at  $101,046.  This 
is  less  than  one-fourth  that  of  1918  both  in  tonnage  and  value,  due  to 
the  lower  prices  prevailing.  The  average  price  for  the  year  was  7.3ff 
per  pound  as  compared  to  5.1f^  during  1914;  14.2^  in  1915;  13.4^  in 
1916;  10.2^  in  1917,  and  9.1^  in  1918,  showing  a  steady  decline  from 
the  high-level  prices  of  1915. 

The  zinc  ores  of  Shasta  County  are  associated  with  copper,  while 
those  of  Inyo  and  San  Bernardino  are  associated  principally  with 
lead-silver  ores.  The  ores  were  mainly  shipped  to  Eastern  smelters  for 
treatment.  The  electrolytic  zinc  plant  of  the  Mammoth  Copper  Com- 
pany at  Kennett  with  a  capacity  of  100  tons  of  spelter  per  month  was 
in  operation  during  1918,  but  has  since  closed  down.  It  treated  bag- 
house  fume.  The  Mammoth  did  not  ship  nor  treat  any  raw  zinc  ores 
during  1918  or  1919.  An  electrolytic  plant  has  been  built  at  Bully  Hill 
copper  mine,  Shasta  County,  also  one  at  the  Afterthought  mine.  Both 
of  these  are  designed  to  treat  raw  ores  direct,  but  no  production  of! 
metal  was  made  by  them  during  1919. 

The  production,  by  counties,  was  as  follows: 


County 

Value 

Pounds 

Inyo    

1,192,353 
191,839 

$87  042 

Calaveras  and  Shasta*  _  . 

14,004 

Totals    

1,384,192 

$101,046 

♦Combined  to  conceal  output  of  a  single  producer  in  each. 


STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


67 


Total  figures  for  zinc  output  of  the  state  are  as  follows,  commercial 
production  dating  back  only  to  1906; 


Tear 

Pounds 

Value 

Tear 

Pounds 

Value 

1906  .„. 

206,000 

177,759 

54,000 

$12,566 
10,598 
3,544 

1914 

399,641  i 

13,043,411  i 

15,950.565 

11,854,804 

5.565.561 

1,384,192  I 

$20,381 
1,617.383 

1907    

1915 

1908   

1916 

2,137.375 

1909  _ 

1917 

1,209,190 
506.466 

1910  

1918 

1911   _ 

2,679,842 
4,331.391 
1,157.947 

152,751 

298.866 

64.845 

1 

1919    _ 

101,046 

1912 

Totals 

1913   """IIIIIIIIIII 

56,805,113  1 

$6,135,011 

68 


MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OP   CALIFORNIA. 


CHAPTER  FOUR. 

STRUCTURAL  MATERIALS 

As  indicated  by  this  chapter  heading,  the  mineral  substances  herein 
considered  are  those  more  or  less  directly  used  in  building  and  structural 
work.  California  is  independent,  so  far  as  these  are  concerned,  and 
almost  any  reasonable  construction  can  be  made  with  materials  produced 
in  the  state.  This  branch  of  the  mineral  industry  for  1919  was  valued 
at  $16,796,754,  as  compared  with  a  total  value  of  $18,851,077  for  the 
year  1918,  the  decrease  being  due  to  the  drop  in  output  of  chromite 
and  magnesite.  Deposits  of  granite,  marble  and  other  building  stones 
are  distributed  widely  throughout  this  state,  and  slowly  but  surely 
transportation  and  other  facilities  are  being  extended  so  that  the 
growing  demand  may  be  met.  The  largest  single  item,  cement,  has 
had  an  interesting  record  of  growth  since  the  inception  of  the  industry 
in  California  about  1891.  Not  until  1904  did  the  annual  value  of 
cement  produced  reach  the  million-dollar  mark,  following  which  it 
increased  500%  in  nine  years;  though  since  1913  it  has  fallen  slightly 
below  its  high-level  mark. 

Crushed  rock  production  is  yearly  becoming  more  worthy  of  consid- 
eration, due  to  the  strides  recently  taken  in  the  use  of  concrete,  as  well 
as  to  activity  in  the  building  of  good  roads.  Brick,  with  an  annual 
output  worth  approximately  $2,000,000,  has  slowly  decreased,  due  to 
the  popularity  of  cement  and  concrete;  nevertheless,  this  item  will  hei 
an  important  one  for  many  years  to  come,  and  of  course,  a  market  f or  ^ 
fire  and  fancy  brick  of  all  kinds  will  never  be  lacking. 

Fifty-four  counties  contributed  to  this  structural  total  for  1919,  and 
there  is  not  a  county  in  the  state  which  is  not  capable  of  some  output  of  \ 
at  least  one  of  the  materials  under  this  classification. 

The  following  table  gives  the  comparative  figures  for  the  amounts 
and  value  of  structural  materials  produced  in  California  during  the: 
years  1918  and  1919 : 


1918 

1919 

Decrease — 
Increase-l- 
value 

Substance 

Amount 

Value 

Amount 

Value 

Bituminous  rock  .    

2.561  tons 

4,772^921  bbls'" 
73,955  tons 

$9,007 

2,363.481 

7,969.909 

3,049.497 

139,861 

461,315 

803,492 

49.898 

400 

3,404,157 

$18,851,077 

4.014  tons 

4,646,289  bbls. 
14,314  tons 

$18,537 

3,087,067 

8,591.990 

97,164 

220.743 

552,043 

452.094 

74.482 

3,690 

3,698,944 

$9,470+ 

723,586+  ; 

022.081+^ 

3.562,333—  ^ 

80,882+ 

90,728+  : 
351, 39&- 

24,584+ 

3,290+ 

294,787+ 

Brick   and   tile 

Cement    _ 

Ohromlt.fl    ^  _.     _.               .  .. 

Granite    

Lime    

Magneslte  

Marble 

438.843  bbls, 
83,974  tons 
17.428  cu.  ft. 
900  cu.  ft. 

420,696  bbls. 
44,698  tons 
25,020  cu.  ft. 
5,400  cu.  ft. 

Sandstone    

Miscellaneous  stone 

Total  value 

$16,796,754 

Net  decrease  

$2,054,323—  1 

- 

^Recalculated  to  45  oer  ee 

at  Or20a. 

i 

I 


I 


STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAL  PRODUCTION.  69 

ASPHALT. 

Bibliography :  State  Mineralogist  Reports  VII,  X,  XII,  XIII,  XIV. 
Bulletins  16,  32. 

Asphalt  was  for  a  number  of  years  accounted  for  in  reports  by  the 
State  Mining  Bureau,  because  in  the  early  days  of  the  oil  industry, 
considerable  asphalt  was  produced  from  outcroppings  of  oil  sand,  and 
was  a  separate  industry  from  the  production  of  oil  itself.  However, 
at  the  present  time  most  of  the  asphalt  comes  from  the  oil  refineries, 
which  produce  a  better  and  more  uniform  grade ;  hence,  its  value  is  not 
now  included  in  the  mineral  total,  as  to  do  so  would  be  a  partial  dupli- 
cation of  the  crude  petroleum  figures.  Such  natural  asphalt  as  is 
at  present  mined  is  in  the  form  of  bituminous  sandstones,  and  is  recorded 
■under  that  designation. 

According  to  the  U.  S.  Geological  Survey,  the  war  stimulated  activity 
in  the  domestic  markets  for  asphaltic  materials  derived  from  crude 
petroleum  and  for  imported  asphalt,  but  relative  abundance  and  adapt- 
ability of  those  materials  has  lessened  the  demand  for  the  native  bitu- 
mens and  for  the  various  types  of  bituminous  rock  produced  in  this 
country. 

The  production  of  refinery  asphalt  from  14  refineries  in  California 
has  averaged  between  200,000  tons  and  250,000  tons,  worth  approxi- 
mately $2,000,000,  per  year,  for  several  years  past.  California  leads 
all  other  states  of  the  union  in  such  production,  as  her  crude  oils  are 
almost  entirely  of  asphaltic  base. 

■  BITUMINOUS  ROCK. 

Bibliography :  State  Mineralogist  Reports  XII,  XIII,  XV. 

The  manufacture  of  asphalt  at  the  oil  refineries  has  almost  eliminated 
the  industry  of  mining  bituminous  rock,  but  small  amounts  of  the  latter 
are  still  used  occasionally  for  road  dressing.  The  production  during 
1919  from  one  quarry  each  in  Santa  Cruz,  Santa  Barbara  and  San 
Luis  Obispo  counties  was  4,614  tons,  valued  at  $18,537,  compared  with 
2,561  tons  and  $9,067  in  1918. 


70 


MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 


The  following  tabulation  shows  the  total  amount  and  value  of 
bituminous  rock  quarried  and  sold  in  California,  from  the  records 
compiled  by  the  State  Mining  Bureau,  annually  since  1887: 


Tear 

Tom 

Value 

Tear 

Tona 

Valua 

1887     

36,000 
50,000 
40.000 
40.000 
39,962 
24,000 
32,000 
31,214 
38,921 
49.456 
45.470 
46.836 
40.321 
25,306 
24,052 
33.490 
21.944 
45.280 

$160,000 

257,000 

170,000 

170,000 

154,164 

72,000 

192,036 

115,193 

121,586 

122,500 

128,173 

137,575 

116.097 

71,495 

66,354 

43,411 

53,106 

175,680 

1 
1905  -       -   - 

24,753 
16.077 
24.122 
30.718 
34.123 
87,547 
75,125 
44,073 
37.541 
66.119 
17,789 
19.449 
5,590 
2.561 
4,614 

$60  436 

1888 

1906 

45,204 

1889  

1907 

72,835 

1890  

1908 

109,818 

1891     

1909  

116,436 

1892 

1910 

165,711 

1893 

1911 

117,279 

1894 

1912 

87,467 

1895  

1913 

78.479 

1896  

1914   

166,618 

1897   

1915     -   -. 

61. 46^ 

1898      -  — 

1916  _ 

66,561 

1899  _ 

1917 

1918  . 

18,580 

1900  — 

9,067 

1901 - 

1919   -   

18,.537 

1009 

Totals 

1903  -  -  

1,154,453 

$3,520,866 

1904 

BRICK  and  TILE. 


Bihliography :    Reports     XIV,     XV. 
Report,  No.  7. 


Bulletin     38.     Preliminary 


As  would  be  expected  in  a  state  with  diversified  and  widespread 
mineral  resources,  a  great  variety  of  brick  is  annually  produced  in 
California,  including  common,  fire,  pressed,  glazed,  sand-lime,  and 
others.  A^  far  as  possible  the  different  kinds  have  been  segregated  in 
the  following  tabulation.  We  also  include  under  this  heading  the 
various  forms  of  hollow  building  'tile'  or  blocks,  instead  of  under 
industrial  pottery  clays  as  in  the  reports  previous  to  1915. 

The  clay  industries  throughout  the  country  were  adversely  affected 
by  the  war-time  restrictions  on  building  operations,  and  particularly 
during  1918  by  a  50%  cut  in  their  fuel  and  power  allowances  by  the 
Federal  Fuel  Administrator.  That  they  have  already  largely  recovered 
from  that  condition,  is  shown  by  comparison  of  the  1919  figures  with 
those  of  previous  years. 


STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAL   PRODUCTION. 


71 


MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 


STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAIi   PRODUCTION. 


73 


Kecord  of  brick  production  in  the  state  has  been  kept  since  1893  by 
this  Bureau,  the  figures  for  building  tile  being  also  included  since  1914. 
The  annual  and  total  figures,  for  amount  and  value,  are  given  in  the 
following  table : 


Year 

Brick.  M. 

BuUding 

blocks. 

tons 

Value 

1893  __. _ 

103,900 
81,675 
131.772 
24,000 
97,468 
100,102 
125,950 
137,191 
130,766 
169,851 
214,403 
281,750 
286,618 
277,762 
362,167 
332,872 
333,846 
340,883 
327,474 
337,233 
358,754 
270,791 
180,538 
206,960 
192,269 
136,374 
156,328 

$801,750 

1894  —  .. 

457,125 

1895 _ 

672,360 

1896   —  _  _ 

524,740 

1897   —  

- - 

568  240 

1898    —  —     

571,362 

]89{;    -_   . 

754,730 

190C - 

905,210 

1901 

860,488 

1902 

1,306,215 

190P - - 

1,999,546 

1904  _ 

1,994,740 

1905  

2,273,786 

im.       

2,538,848 

1907      

3,438,951 

1908 __  __ 

2,506,495 

190P    -   _  „  __  __ 

3,050,929 

1910 

2,934,731 

1911  

2,638,121 

1912   — 

2,940,290 

1913   -   

2,915,350 

1914     - 



2,288,227 

1915     __ _ 

1,678,756 

1916 .— 

2,096,570 

1917           

29.348 
34,818 
36,026 

2,532,721 

1918         -  __  __  __  __  __  __ 

2,363,481 

1919 __  

3,087,067 

Totals  

5,699,697 

100,192 

$50,704,829 

CEMENT. 

Bibliography :  State  Mineralogist  Reports  VIII,  IX,  XII,  XIV, 
XV.     Bulletin  38. 

Cement  is  one  of  the  most  important  structural  materials  in  the 
output  of  the  state.  During  1919  there  was  produced  a  total  of 
4,645,289  barrels,  valued  at  $8,591,990,  being  a  slight  decrease  in 
quantity  but  an  increase  in  value  over  the  1918  figures!  This  output 
comes  from  eight  operating  plants  in  six  counties.  The  feature  of  the 
1919  production  is  the  increased  average  price  per  barrel. 

Several  of  the  cement  plants  recovered  potash-bearing  materials  as 
by-products,  notably :  the  Riverside  Portland  Cement  Company,  River- 
side County;  California  Portland  Cement  Company  and  Southwestern 


74  MINERAL   INDUSTRY    OF    CALIFORNIA. 

Portland  Cement  Company,  San  Bernardino  County ;  Santa  Cruz  Port- 
land Cement  Company,  Santa  Cruz  County.  The  first-named  was  the 
pioneer  in  this  work. 

The  cement  industry  is  so  centralized  that  it  is  not  possible  to  appor- 
tion the  production  to  the  counties  in  which  plants  are  located  without 
making  private  business  public.  With  the  exception  of  San  Bernar- 
dino, no  county  has  more  than  one  cement  plant.  The  three  operating 
plants  in  San  Bernardino  County,  in  1919,  made  a  total  of  1,078,943 


Plant   of   the    Old   Mission    Portland    Cement    Company,    San   Juan    Bautista,    San 
Benito  County,  which  began  operations  in  1918. 

barrels,  valued  at  $1,717,998;  the  balance  coming  from  a  single  plant 
in  each  of  the  following  counties :  Contra  Costa,  Riverside,  San  Benito, 
Santa  Cruz  and  Solano. 

*  Portland'  cement  was  first  commercially  produced  in  the  state 
in  1891;  though  in  1860  and  for  several  years  following,  a  natural 
hydraulic  cement  from  Benicia  was  utilized  in  building  operations  in 
San  Francisco.  While  the  total  figures  are  not  of  the  same  magnitude 
as  those  for  gold  and  petroleum,  the  growth  of  the  industry  has  been 
more  than  rapid,  and  a  comparison  of  the  annual  figures  representing 
the  output  since  the  inception  of  the  industry  is  of  interest. 


STATISTICS   OP   ANNU.\Ij   PRODUCTION.  75 

Annual  production  of  cement  in  California  has  been  as  follows : 


Tear 

Barrels 

Value 

Tear 

Barrels 

TtllM 

1891 

5.000 
5.000 

$15,000 
15.000 

1907 

1,613.563 
1.629.615 
3.779.205 
5.453.193 
6,371,369 
6.198.634 
6.167.806 
5.109.218 
4.918.275 
5.299,507 
5.790.734 
4,772,921 
4.645,289 

$2,585,577 

1892 

1908 

2.359.692 

1893 

1909  

4.969.437 

1894  

8.000 

16.383 

9.500 

18.000 

50.000 

60.000 

52.000 

71.800 

171,000 

640.868 

969.538 

1.265,553 

1,286,000 

21.600 
32.556 
28.250 
66.000 
150.000) 
180.000 
121,000 
159.842  ; 
423.600  ' 
968.727  i 
1.539.807 
1.791,916 
1.941.250 
i 

1910 

7.485,715 

1895  — 

1896  _ 

1897 — , 

1898 

1911 

1912 

1913 

1914 

1915 ._ 

9.085.625 
6,074.661 
7.743.024 
6,558.148 

1899  

6.044.950 

1900 

1916  

6,210,293 

1901   

1917  

7.544.282 

1902 

1918 

7.969.909 

1903 

1919 

a591,990 

1904 

1905 

1906 

Totals  __- 

66,377,971 

$80,677,851 

CHROMITE. 

Bihliography :  State  ^lineralogist  Reports  IV,  XII,  XIII,  XIV, 
XV.  Bulletins  38,  76.  Preliminary  Report  3,  U.  S.'  G.  S.,  Bull. 
430.     Min.  &  Sci.  Press,  Vol.  114,  p.  552. 

Chromic  iron  ore,  or  chromite,  to  the  amount  of  4,139  short  tons  of 
all  grades  (or  4,314  tons,  re-calculated  to  a  basis  of  45%  CrgOg), 
valued  at  $97,164  f.o.b.  shipping  point  was  sold  in  California  during 
the  year  1919.  At  least  500  tons  of  this  was  mined  in  1918,  but  not 
shipped  that  year.  There  are  still  on  the  ground,  mined  but  not  sold, 
various  lots  of  ore  throughout  the  chrome  districts  of  the  state,  aggre- 
ijfating  several  thousand  tons,  which  have  not  been  shipped,  owing  to 
the  radical  drop  in  price  and  demand,  following  the  close  of  the  war 
late  in  1918.  The  above  amount  sold  in  1919  is  but  a  fra^ction  of  the 
73,955  tons  of  all  grades  valued  at  $3,649,497  shipped  in  1918.  There 
were  24  shippers  or  producers  in  1919  as  compared  with  236  in  1918 
who  shipped,  individually,  amounts  varying  from  a  few  tons  to  6,000 
tons. 

Chromite  is  widely  distributed  in  California,  the  principal  produc- 
tion, thus  far,  having  come  from  El  Dorado,  San  Luis  Obispo,  Del  Norte, 
Shasta,  Siskiyou,  Placer,  Fresno,  and  Tuolumne  counties.  In  1918 
a  total  of  29  counties  contributed  to  the  state's  output. 

Economic    Conditions. 

Chromite  is  one  of  several  of  California's  minerals  most  affected  by 
the  economic  conditions  brought  about  by  the  European  war.  The 
major  portion  of  our  domestic  requirements  for  chrome  is  for  con- 
sumption in  the  steel  mills  of  the  East.     Formerly,  most  of  that  used 


76  MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OP    CALIFORNIA. 

was  imported  from  Rhodesia  and  New  Caledonia,  and  they  are  still  the 
more  important  sources.  The  reports  of  the  U.  S.  Department  of  Com- 
merce show  the  foreign  imports  of  chromic  iron  for  the  six  years 
1913-1919  (inc.)  to  have  been  49,772;  75,455;  115,886;  72,063;  100,142 
and  61,404  long  tons,  respectively.  The  average  price  of  imports  in 
1919  was  $22.49  per  ton,  and  a  total  of  71%  of  the  tonnage  was  fur- 
nished by  Cuba,  Australia,  Canada,  and  French  Oceania,  in  the  order 
named.  Similarly  to  conditions  discussed  herein  under  manganese 
{see  ante),  the  increased  demand  for  steel  products  also  increased  the 
necessity  for  chromite  as  a  refractory  and  for  the  preparation  of  ferro- 
chrome.  Our  own  domestic  sources  supplied  a  part  of  the  increased 
demand. 

According  to  Dolbear,^ 

"to  be  readily  salable  chrome  ore  should  contain  at  least  40%  chromic  oxide  (Cr203) 
and  less  than  8%  silica  (Si02).  Some  ore  is  sold  which  carries  not  more  than  30% 
CroQs;  sometimes  SiOo  as  hiFh  as  10%  to  15%  is  permitted.  Ore  containing  40% 
Cr203  is  more  satisfactory  in  fire  brick  manufacture  than  30%  or  50%  ore.  When 
other  grades  are  purchased  they  are  sometimes  crushed  and  mixed  with  higher  or 
lower  grades,  as  may  be  required,  to  secure  a  40%  product." 

The  major  consumption  of  chromic  ore  is  for  its  use  as  a  refrac- 
tory lining  in  smelting  furnaces  for  steel  and  copper.  A  smaller  portion 
is  used  in  the  preparation  of  ferro-chrome  for  chrome-steel  alloys. 
Some  of  the  California  product  in  1916-1918  was  converted  into  ferro- 
chrome  in  the  electric  furnaces  of  the  Noble  Electric  Steel  Company  at 
Heroult,  Cal.,  and  some  of  it  was  similarly  reduced  in  electric  furnaces 
at  Niagara  Falls,  N.  Y.  A  small  amount  of  high-grade  ore  was  utilized 
in  preparation  of  chromates  for  tanning. 

A  report,  designated  as  Bulletin  No.  76,  of  the  State  Mining  Bureau, 
was  issued  in  1918,  giving  a  detailed  account  of  California's  resources 
in  both  manganese  and  chromite. 

The  War  Mineral  Relief  Commission  is  still  working  on  the  adjust- 
ment of  claims  for  chromite  mined  in  1917-1918,  but  the  law  as  at 
present  worded  is  too  restricted.  An  amendment  to  the  Dent  Bill 
(H.  R.  13274)  has  been  introduced  in  Congress  to  permit  of  a  more 
liberal  interpretation  in  the  consideration  of  claims. 

Occurrence. 

Until  1916,  when  some  shipments  were  made  from  Oregon  and  smaller 
amounts  from  Maryland,  "Wyoming  and  Washington,  practically  our 
only  domestic  production  of  chromite  for  many  years  came  from  Cali- 
fornia. From  1820  to  1860  the  deposits  in  Pennsylvania  and  Maryland 
supplied  the  world's  consumption.  There  are  two  main  belts  in  Cali- 
fornia yielding  this  mineral, — one,  along  the  Coast  Ranges  from  San 
Luis  Obispo  County  to  the  Oregon  line,  including  Klamath  Mountains 

iDolbear,  S.  H.,  Min.  and  Sci.  Press,  April  21,  1917,  p.  554. 


STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAL   PRODUCTION.  77 

at  the  north  end,  and  the  other  in  the  Sierra  Nevada  from  Tulare 
County  to  Plumas  County.  Chromite  occurs  as  lenses  in  basic  igneous 
rocks  such  as  peridotite  and  pyroxenite,  and  in  serpentines  which  have 
been  derived  by  alteration  of  such  basic  rocks.  For  the  most  part,  so 
far  as  developments  have  yet  shown,  the  lenses  have  proven  to  be  small, 
relatively  few  of  them  yielding  over  100  tons  apiece.  A  notable  excep- 
tion to  this  was  the  deposit  on  Little  Castle  Creek  near  Dunsmuir,  from 
which  upwards  of  15,000  tons  were  shipped  before  it  was  exhausted. 
Deposits  worked  in  Del  Norte  County  during  1918  promised  well  for 
a  large  tonnage.  On  the  whole  the  orebodies  in  the  northwestern 
corner  of  the  state  appear  to  average  larger  in  size  than  the  chromite 
lenses  in  other  parts  of  California. 

Concentration  became  an  accomplished  fajct  in  several  localities,  thus 
utilizing  some  of  the  disseminated  and  loWer-grade  orebodies  which 
have  been  found.  In  fact,  an  important  part  of  the  1918  production 
came  from  this  source. 

Prices  and   Production. 

During  1919  the  prices  in  California  on  the  basis  of  45%  chromic 
oxide  ranged  from  $15  to  $35  per  ton  f.  o.  b,,  with  a  premium  for 
higher  grades  and  deductions  for  lower.  The  producers'  reports  to 
the  State  Mining  Bureau  indicate  an  average  of  approximately  $23.50 
per  ton  received  for  all  grades  for  the  year  as  against  $49.35  in  1918, 
$21.60  in  1917,  and  $14.65  in  1916.  For  the  eastern  buyer,  to  these 
prices  freight  charges  of  $11  to  $16  per  ton,  had  to  be  added.  For 
the  present  yeap  (1920),  some  ore  is  moving,  and  in  April  was  selling 
at  20^  per  unit,  f.  o.  b.  California  points  for  lump  ore,  containing 
45%  to  48%  chromic  oxide,  and  40^  to  50^  per  unit  for  concentrates 
containing  48%  to  50%  CrgOg. 

The  distribution  of  the  1919  product,  by  counties,  was  as  follows, 
the  tonnage  being  recalculated  to  45%  CrgOgi 


County 

Tons 

Value 

Alameda 

80 

378 

1,018 

1,158 

510 

1,170 

$1,264 

E'  Dorado :.... 

6.510 

Placer 

24.000 

San  Luis  Obispo _           __ 

26,431 

Siskiyou   ,      _      . 

13.379 

Fresno,    Glenn,    Mendocino,    Nevada, 
Tulare,  Tuolumne*  __ 

Santa 

Barb 

ara, 

25.580 



Totals .  _ 

4,314 

$97,164 

♦Combined  to  conceal  output  of  a  single  opsrator  In  each. 


78 


MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 


Total  Chromite  Production  of  California. 

Production  of  chromite  in  California  began,  apparently,  about  1874, 
principally  in  San  Luis  Obispo  County.  There  was  considerable 
activity  from  1880  to  1883,  inclusive,  and  a  total  of  23,238  long  tons 
(or  26,028  short  tons),  valued  at  $329,924  was  shipped  from  that  county 
up  to  the  beginning  of  1887.  Some  ore  also  was  shipped  from  the  Tyson 
properties  in  Del  Norte  County.  The  tabulation  herewith  shows  the 
output  of  chromite  in  California,  annually,  including  the  earliest  figures 
so  far  as  they  are  available.  The  figures  from  1887  to  date  are  from 
the  records  of  the  State  Mining  Bureau : 


Tear         ' 

Tons 

Value 

Tear 

Tons 

Value 

1874-1886  (San  Luis 

26.028 
3,000 
1.500 
2,000 
3,599 
1.372 
1.500 
3,319 
3,680 
1,740 
786 

$329,924 
40,000 
20.000 
30,000 
53,985 
20.580 
22,500 
49,785 
39,980 
16,795 
7,775 

1904   .- 

123 

40 

317 

302 

350 

436 

749 

935 

1,270 

1,180 

1,517 

3,725 

48,943 

52,379 

73,955 

*4,314 

$1845 

Obispo  Co.) 

1905  _- 

600 

1887 _ 

1906 

2,859 
6040 

1888 

1907 

1889 

1908 

6.195 

1890 

1909  ... 

5,309 
9,707 

1891 

1910 

1892 

1911 

1912 

14,197 
11260 

1893 

1894 

1913 -_., 

12,700 

1895 

1914 V 

9,434 

1896 

1915  ..  

38.044 

1897 

1916  

717,244 

1898 

1917 

1,130.298 

1899 

1918 

3,649,497 

1900 

140 
130 
315 

150 

1,400 
1,950 
4,725 

$2,250 

1919 

97,164 

1901 

Totals 

1902 

239,794 

$6,354,592 

1908 

♦Recalculated  to  45  per  cent  CrsOs. 


GRANITE. 

Bibliography :  State  Mineralogist  Reports  X,  XII,  XIII,  XIV,  XV. 
Bulletin  38. 

In  the  reports  for  several  years  previous  to  1916  granite  was  treated 
as  a  subdivision  under  'Stone  Industry'  or  under  'Miscellaneous  Stone.' 
We  have  since  rearranged  the  subjects,  somewhat,  and  now  give  granite 
a  separate  heading,  as  had  previously  been  done  with  marble  and  sand- 
stone. Crushed  rock  and  paving  blocks  derived  from  granite  quarries 
are  continued  under  the  heading  of  'Miscellaneous  Stone.' 

The  output  of  granite,  particularly  for  building  and  ornamental 
purposes,  shows  a  falling  off  since  1914  from  earlier  annual  amounts. 
That  granite  is  not  used  more  is  probably  due  to  its  greater  cost  as 
compared  to  concrete  and  ornamental  brick  and  tile  for  buildings. 
Since  1915  there  have  been  no  new  large  pieces  of  work  undertaken. 


STATISTICS   OP   ANNUAL   PRODUCTION.  79 

Building  operations  of  all  kinds,  except  those  directly  connected  with 
war  contracts,  were  largely  suspended. 

California  building  granites,  particularly  the  varieties  from  Raymond, 
Madera  County,  and  Rocklin,  Placer  County,  are  unexcelled  by  any 
similar  stone  found  elsewhere. 

Granites  of  excellent  quality  for  building  and  monumental  purposes 
are  also  quarried  in  Riverside  and  San  Diego  counties.  The  Fresno 
County  stone  is  a  dark,  hornblende  diorite,  locally  called  'black  granite,' 
whose  color  permits  of  a  fiire  contrast  of  polished  and  unpolished  sur- 
faces, making  it  particularly  suitable  for  monumental  and  decorative 
purposes.     There  is  also  a  similar  'black  granite'  in  Tulare  County. 

In  so  far  as  it  has  been  possible  to  do  so,  granite  production  has  been 
segregated  in  the  following  table  into  the  various  uses  to  which  the 
product  was  put.  It  will  be  noted,  however,  that  a  portion  of  the 
output  has  been  entered  under  the  heading  'unclassified.'  This  is 
necessary  because  of  the  fact  that  some  of  the  producers  have  no  way 
of  telling  to  what  specific  use  their  stone  was  put  after  they  had  quarried 
and  sold  the  same. 


80 


MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 


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STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAL   PRODUCTION. 


81 


The  value  of  granite  produced,  annually  since  1887,  has  been  as 
follows : 


Tear 

Value 

Year 

Value 

1887     

$150,000 

57.000 

1.329,018 

1.200,000 

1.300,000 

1.000,000 

531,322 

228,816 

224,329 

201,0(M 

188,024 

147,732 

141,070 

295,772 

519,285 

255,239 

678,670 

467,472 

1905 

$353  837 

1888     _    _- - -__— _ 

1906 

344.083 

1889        - _.__,„ 

1907 

373,376 

1890 

1908 

512,923 

1891  , 

1909 ._ 

376,834 

1892 

1910 

417,898 

1893 

1911  __. 

355,742 

1894  

1912  .__ 

362,975 

1895 

1913 

981,277 

1896    

1914     ___ _.          

628,786 

1897 _ 

1915        _  -                            

227,928 

1898 

1916        _  -           _ 

535.339 

1899 

1917 

221,997 

1900 

1918 

139,861 

1901           

1919 

220.743 

1902 

Total 

1903 

$14,968,352 

1904    

LIME. 

Blhliographij :  Reports  XIV,  XV.     Bulletin  38. 

Lime  to  the  amount  of  420,696  barrels,  valued  at  $552,043,  was 
produced  by  seven  plants  in  five  counties  during  1919,  as  compared 
with  436,843  barrels,  valued  at  $461,315  in  1918.  As  in  1918,  the 
quantity  decreased,  but  the  value  increased.  So  far  as  we  have  been 
able  to  segregate  the  data,  this  figure  includes  only  such  lime  as  is 
used  in  building  operations.  That  utilized  in  sugar  making,  for  smelter 
flux,  and  as  a  fertilizer  are  classified  under  'Industrial  Materials.' 
That  consumed  in  cement  manufacture  is  included  in  the  value  of 
cement. 

Distribution  bv  counties  is  shown,  in  the  following  table : 


County 

Barrels 

Value 

KOTD                                                                        

86,952 
150,271 
183.473 

$112,724 

Santa    Ornz                                                       --- --  - 

234,039 

San  Bernardino    Shasta    Tuolumne* 

2C5,280 

Totals       —        - 

420,696 

$552,043 

♦Combined  to  conceal  output  of  a  single  operator  in  each. 

For  table  of  production  by  years,  see  under  'Industrial'  limestone,  post. 


<5-4508 


82  MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

MAGNESITE. 

Bibliography:  State  Mineralogist  Eeports  XII,  XIII,  XIV,  XV. 
Bulletin  38.  U.  S.  G.  S.,  Bulletins  355,  540.  Min.  &  Sci.  Press, 
Vol.  114,  p.  237.  "Magnesite" — Hearings  before  the  Comm.  on 
Ways  and  Means,  House  of  Repr.  on  H.  R.  5218,  June  16,  17 
and  July  17,  1919. 

Occurrence. 

Magnesite  is  a  natural  carbonate  of  magnesium,  and  when  pure  con- 
tains 52.4%  CO2  (carbon  dioxide)  and  47.6%  MgO  (magnesia).  It 
has  a  hardness  of  3.5  to  4.5,  and  specific  gravity  of  3  to  3.12.  It  is  both 
harder  and  heavier  than  calcite  (calcium  carbonate),  and  also  contains 
a  higher  percentage  of  CO2,  as  calcite  has  but  44%. 

Most  of  the  California  magnesite  is  comparatively  pure,  and  is  ordi- 
narily a  beautiful,  white,  fine-grained  rock  with  a  conchoidal  fracture 
resembling  a  break  in  porcelain.  The  Grecian  magnesite  is  largely  of 
this  character ;  while  the  Austrian  varieties  usually  contain  iron  so  that 
they  become  brown  after  calcining.  The  Washington  magnesite,  one 
of  the  most  recent  developments,  resembles  dolomite  and  some  crys- 
talline limestones  in  physical  appearance.  Its  color  varies  through 
light  to  dark  gray,  and  pink. 

In  California,  the  known  deposits  are  mostly  in  the  metamorphic 
rocks  of  the  Coast  Ranges  and  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains,  being  asso- 
ciated with  serpentine  areas.  The  notable  exceptions  are  two  sedi- 
mentary deposits,  one  at  Bissell  in  Kern  County,  and  one  at  Afton 
in  San  Bernardino  County.  Several  thousand  tons  have  been  shipped 
from  the  Bissell  deposit ;  and  shipments  have  recently  begun  from  the 
Afton  property. 

The  Washington  deposits  are  stated  to  be  associated  with  extensive 
strata  of  dolomitic  limestones.  The  magnesite  there  appears  to  contain 
more  iron  than  most  of  the  California  mineral,  which  makes  it  desirable 
for  the  steel  operators.  However,  the  experience  of  the  past  four 
years  has  proven  that  several  California  localities  have  sufficient  iron 
in  their  magnesite  to  be  serviceable  in  the  steel  furnaces.  This  is  par- 
ticularly true  of  the  Refractory  Magnesite  Company 's  mine  near  Preston 
in  Sonoma  County,  and  the  White  Rock  Mine  at  Pope  Valley,  Napa 
County. 

Uses. 

'  The  principal  uses  at  the  present  time  include :  refractory  linings  for 
basic  open-hearth  steel  furnaces,  copper  reverberatories  and  converters, 
bullion  and  other  metallurgical  furnaces ;  in  the  manufacture  of  paper 
from  wood  pulp;  and  in  structural  work,  for  flooring,  wainscoting, 
tiling,  sanitary  kitchen  and  hospital  finishing,  etc.     In  connection  with 


STATISTICS   OP   ANNUAL   PRODUCTION. 


83 


building  work,  it  has  proven  particularly  efficient  as  a  flooring  for  steel 
railroad  coaches,  on  account  of  having  greater  elasticity  and  resilience 
than  'Portland*  cement.  For  refractory  purposes,  the  magnesite  is 
*dead  burned' — i.  e.,  all  or  practically  all  of  the  CO2  is  expelled  from 
it.     For  cement  purposes,  it  is  left  'caustic' — i.  e.,  from  5%  to  10%  of 


I 


Federal  Realty  Building,  Oakland,  California,  finished  with  magne- 
site paint   (a  thin,  Sorel  cement). 

CO2  is  retained.  When  dry  caustic  magnesite  is  mixed  with  a  solution 
of  magnesium  chloride  (MgCl2)  in  proper  proportions,  a  very  strong 
cement  is  produced,  known  as  oxychloride  or  Sorel  cement.  It  is  applied 
in  a  plastic  form,  which  sets  in  a  few  hours  as  a  tough,  seamless  surface. 
It  is  stated  that  some  metallic  magnesium  has  been  prepared  electro- 
lytically  at  Niagara  Falls,  from  magnesite  (see  also  Magnesium  Chloride, 
under  'Salines,'  post). 


84  MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF    CALIFORNIA. 

For  refractory  purposes,  the  calcined  inagnesite  is  largely  made  up 
into  bricks,  similar  to  fire-brick  for  furnace  lininf?3.  It  is  also  used 
un-consolidated,  as  'grain'  magnesite.  For  such,  an  iron  content  is 
desirable,  as  it  allows  of  a  slight  sintering  in  forming  the  brick.  Dead- 
burned,  pure,  magnesia  cannot  be  sintered  except  at  very  high  tempera- 
tures ;  and  it  has  little  or  no  plasticity,  so  that  it  is  hard  to  handle.  Its 
plasticity  is  said  to  be  improved  by  using  with  it  some  partly  calcined 
or  caustic  magnesite.  Heavy  pressure  will  bind  the  material  sufficiently 
to  allow  it  to  be  sintered. 

A  coating  of  crushed  magnesite  is  laid  on  hearths  used  for  heating 
steel  stock  for  rolling,  to  prevent  the  scale  formed  from  attacking  the 
fire-brick  of  the  hearth. 

Imports,  and   Domestic   Production. 

Reports  of  the  U.  S'.  Bureau  of  Foreign  and  Domestic  Commerce 
show  imports  of  calcined  magnesite  to  have  been  172,591  tons  in  1913 ; 
144,747  tons  in  1914 ;  and  63,347  tons  in  1915 ;  most  of  it  coming  from 
Austria-Hungary.  For  the  same  years,  the  production  of  crude  (about 
two  tons  of  crude  ore  required  to  yield  one  ton  of  the  calcined)  magne- 
site in  California  (the  sole  producer  for  those  years,  in  the  United 
States)  was:  9,632  tons,  1913;  11,438  tons,  1914;  30,721  tons,  1915. 
For  1916  the  California  output  leaped  to  154,052  tons  of  crude  and  to 
209,648  tons  in  1917,  but  dropped  considerably  in  1918  and  1919. 
Shipments  were  begun  from  Washington  late  in  1916. 

A  bill  (H.  R.  5218)  has  been  introduced  in  Congress  to  provide  for 
an  import  duty  of  J^  per  pound  on  crude  magnesite,  1|Y  per  pound  on 
calcined,  and  25%  ad  valorem  on  magnesite  brick.  The  House  Com- 
mittee on  Ways  and  Means  held  a  series  of  hearings  on  this  bill, 
June  16,  17  and  July  17,  1919,  at  which  much  valuable  data  relative  to 
American  magnesite  was  presented.^  Final  action  on  the  bill  has  not 
yet  been  taken. 

Previous  to  the  war,  Austrian  magnesite  was  sold  at  Chester,  Pa., 
and  Baltimore,  Md.,  at  $16.15  per  net  ton.  The  rail  rate  from  the 
mines  to  Triest  is  stated  to  have  been  $4  per  ton,  and  the  ocean  rate, 
at  times  as  low  as  $2  per  ton,  as  it  came  over  largely  in  ballast. 

Sworn  statements  of  cost  were  presented  by  various  American 
operators  at  the  above-mentioned  hearings.  Washington  costs  were 
shown  to  be  from  $21  to  $25  per  ton  of  calcined  ready  for  shipment. 

The  following  California  costs  of  calcined  ore,  f.o.b.  shipping  point, 
were  given :  Porterville  Magnesite  Co.,  $28.43  per  ton ;  Tulare  Mining 
Co.,  $24.'97;  Western  Magnesite  Development  Co.,  $24.16;  White  Rock 


'Magnesite.  Hearings  before  the  Committee  on  Ways  and  Means,  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives, on  H.  R.  5218,  June  IG  and  17,  1919;  Part  11,  July  17,  1919.  Gov't 
Printing  Office,  1919. 


STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAL   PRODUCTION.  85 

]\Iine,  $28.22.  The  average  cost  per  ton  for  the  six  principal  pro- 
ducers in  Washington  and  California  was  $25.13  per  ton.  Add  to 
this  the  transcontinental  freight  rate  of  $16.07,  and  we  have  a  cost  of 
$41.20  for  American  magnesite  at  Atlantic  ports. 

"CALCINING  CAPACITY  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES.* 

"The  capacity  of  the  calcining  plants  of  California  is  estimated  at  350  to  400  tons 
daily  or  10,000  to  12,000  tons  monthly.  In  Washington  considering  one  plant  alone, 
the  Northwest  Magnesite  Co.,  there  is  a  calcining  capacity  of  10,000  tons  per  month, 
making  in  all  a  capacity  of  20,000  tons  per  month,  or  240,000  tons  per  year,  which  is 
far  more  than  ample  for  the  needs  of  the  United  States. 

"QUANTITY  OF  MAGNESITE  USED  PER  TON.  OF  STEEL. 

"Prior  to  the  war  between  6  and  14  pounds  of  magnesite  was  used  per  ton  of  steel, 
according  to  estimates  of  several  prominent  eastern  steel  manufacturers.  The  quan- 
tity used  was  cut  in  half  during  the  war  owing  to  a  greater  measure  of  economy  and 
the  substitution  for  magnesite  of  dead-burned  dolomite.  About  3  to  7  pounds,  or  an 
average  of  5  pounds  per  ton  of  steel,  was  used  during  1917,  which  quantity  may  be 
considered  approximately  that  now  used.  Thus,  it  will  be  seen  that  the  quantity  of 
magnesite  now  consumed  per  ton  of  steel  is  only  50  per  cent  of  what  it  was  prior  to 
the  war. 

"The  cost  of  magnesite  per  ton  of  steel  is  small  and  this  spring  with  the  price  of 
magnesite  brick  at  $450  per  thousand  and  with  grain  magnesite  at  Chester,  Pa.,  at 
$48.50  per  ton,  the  cost  of  magnesite  per  ton  of  steel  on  the  basis  of  all  brick  was 
about  221  cents,  and  on  the  basis  of  grain  magnesite  12|  cents.  The  cost  of  mag- 
nesite per  ton  of  steel  must  lie  somewhere  between  these  limits  and,  assuming  the  use 
of  half  brick  and  half  grain,  would  not  be  far  from  17  to  18  cents,  under  the  prices 
which  prevailed  this  spring.  On  the  basis  of  two-thirds  brick  and  one-third  grain 
the  cost  would  be  about  19  cents.  These  prices  have  been  abnormally  high  and  it  is 
probable  that  8  or  9  cents  per  ton  of  steel  is  nearer  the  truth  for  normal  prewar  con- 
ditions, but  greater  economy  in  the  use  of  magnesite,  and  especially  in  the  use  of 
dead-burned  grain  and  the  substitution  therefor  of  dead-burned  dolomite  have  tended 
to  offset  the  high  war  prices. 

"Dead-burned  dolomite  has  been  used  in  the  past  as  a  refractory  in  repairing 
furnace  linings,  but  statistics  showing  the  extent  of  this  application  are  lacking. 
According  to  data  of  the  United  States  Geological  Survey  340,000  tons  of  dead-burned 
dolomite  was  marketed  in  1917 — figures  which  indicate  at  least  an  important  degree 
of  competition  with  grain  magnesite." 

******* 

"FREIGHT  RATES  AND  COSTS  AT  EASTERN  POINTS. 

"The  recent  price  for  Washington  calcined  magnesite  has  been  $32.50  per  ton  at 
Chewelah,  Wash.  Little  or  no  California  magnesite  has  recently  come  East  for 
refractory  purposes,  but  some  has  been  shipped  to  Chicago  for  plastic  purposes.  The 
latter  involves  very  careful  selection  and  fine  grinding  and  is  put  in  bags.  Conse- 
quently, it  is  much  higher  in  price  than  that  used  for  refractory  purposes,  and  the 
price  varies  with  the  care  exercised  in  preparation.  Magnesite  brick  this  spring  at 
Chester,  Pa.,  were  $90  per  ton,  or  $450  per  thousand,  and  this  price  is  still  quoted  in 
some  of  the  latest  technical  journals. 

"Freight  rates  plus  war  tax  to  Pittsburg  from  California  and  Washington  points 
are  $14.21  per  ton  and  to  Chester,  Pa.,  $16.07  per  ton,  making  the  total  cost  per  ton 
of  grain  magnesite  at  these  points  $46.71  and  $48.57,  respectively.  The  freight  rate 
on  calcined  Canadian  magnesite  to  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  is  about  $8.50  which  is  just  about 
half  of  what  it  was  from  the  western  points  to  that  city. 

"LOCATION  OF  PRINCIPAL  REFRACTORY  COMPANIES. 

"There  are  undoubtedly  many  small  manufacturers  of  magnesite  brick  scattered 
over  the  country.  The  great  bulk  of  the  brick  is,  however,  turned  out  by  9  to  10  con- 
cerns, and  of  these  4  or  5  companies  produce  most  of  the  brick  manufactured.  These 
largest  magnesite  brick  concerns  are  all  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  United  States,  from 
the  Mississippi  Valley  to  Pennsylvania  points.  The  plant  of  the  Harbison-Walker 
Co.,  where  magnesite  brick  is  made,  is  at  Chester,  Pa.;  that  of  the  American  Refrac- 
tories Co.  is  at  Baltimore,  Md.;  that  of  the  General  Refractories  Co.  is  at  Bolivar, 
Pa.:  that  of  Federal  Refractories  Co.  is  at  Lock  Haven,  Pa.  Other  plants  are 
located  at  Johnstown,  Pa.,  and  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah,  and  at  Seattle 
and  Spokane,  Wash.  Of  course,  grain  magnesite  for  furnace  use  may  be  shipped 
direct  to  the  consumers;  it  is  only  the  material  sold  in  the  form  of  brick  that  has  to 
go  into  the  trade  by  way  of  brick-making  establishments." 

Some  conflicts  arose  in  the  testimony  as  to  the  relative  qualities  of 
the  American  and  foreign  magnesite;  but  the  more  reliable  data  pre- 
sented indicated  that  the  American  article  is  equal  in  quality  to 
any  other. 


'Op.  cit.,  pp.  218,  219. 


86  MINERAL   INDUSTRY    OF   CALIFORNIA. 

Output  and  Value. 

In  considering  mineral  production  the  value  of  the  crude  material 
is  used  as  far  as  practicable.  Magnesite  presents  a  peculiar  example 
of  a  material  which  previous  to  1916  was  seldom  handled  on  the 
market  in  the  crude  state.  It  is  mainly  calcined  and  ground  before 
being  considered  marketable.  From  2  to  2J  tons  of  the  crude  material 
are  mined  to  make  one  ton  of  the  calcined.  In  the  earlier  reports  an 
arbitrary  value  for  the  crude  material  at  the  mine  was  calculated  from 
the  above  on  the  basis  of  the  calcined  value,  there  having  been  very 
little  product  shipped  crude.  On  the  contrary,  however,  considerable 
tonnages  since  1916  have  been  shipped  in  the  crude  state,  contracted 
for  at  prices  ranging  from  $7  to  $14  per  ton,  f.o.b.  rail  points,  or  an 
average  of  about  $10.10  per  ton,  for  1919.  This  is  the  basis  of  the 
valuation  used  herein. 

The  production  of  crude  magnesite  in  California  during  the  year 
1919,  totaled  44,696  tons  valued  at  $452,094  f.o.b.'  rail-shipping  point. 
This  is  considerably  less  than  half  the  1918  output  of  83,974  tons  and 
$803,492.  This  is  due  in  large  part,  as  indicated  in  preceding  para- 
graphs, to  the  development  of  the  deposits  in  the  state  of  Washington, 
which  are  stated  to  have  produced  97,720  tons  in  1919. 

Some  magnesite  has  also  been  imported  from  eastern  Canada,  which 
is  closer  to  the  steel-producing  centers.  The  Canadian  magnesite, 
though  containing  an  objectionable  percentage  of  lime,  is  being  used 
on  account  of  being  cheaper  and  nearer  at  hand.  Importations  from 
Austria  were  resumed  to  a,  limited  extent  in  1919. 

It  looks  as  if  the  main  hope  for  the  future  for  California  magnesite 
lies  in  the  development  of  the  plastic  business  in  the  territory  west  of 
the  Rocky  Mountains ;  and  in  the  manufacture  of  refractory  brick  to  be 
utilized  mainly  by  the  copper  and  lead  smelters  in  the  same  district. 
It  is  possible  that,  after  ocean  shipping  has  resumed  its  normal  routes, 
California  magnesite  may  be  sent  via  the  Panama  Canal  to  the  Atlantic 
seaboard ;  but,  on  account  of  our  higher  production  costs,  it  is  difficult 
to  see  how  we  can  compete  with  the  Grecian  article  at  Atlantic  ports. 

Three  new  plants  were  reported  early  in  1919  as  preparing  to  make 
refractory  brick  here  from  California  magnesite,  one  each  at  Porter- 
ville,  Los  Angeles,  and  Richmond.  During  1917-1918,  the  output  of 
the  Refractory  Magnesite  Company  at  Preston,  Sonoma  County,  was 
turned  into  bricks  at  the  plant  of  the  Stockton  Fire  and  Enamel  Brick 
Company,  at  Stockton,  but  the  mine  was  closed  in  1919.  The  mineral 
from  this  property  is  a  natural  ferro-magnesite  and  has  found  a  ready 
market  for  refractory  purposes.  That  from  the  White  Rock  Mine 
in  Napa  County  also  carries  some  iron. 


STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAL   PRODUCTION. 


87 


Magnesite    calcining    furnace    of    Sinclair    Bros.,    at    Piedra,    Fresno 

County.     They  report  that  by  careful  temperature  regulation,  using  an 

electric  pyrometer,  they  obtain  caustic  magnesite  at  800°-900°  with  not 

to  exceed  4%  CQo  remaining,  yielding  "a  more  active  MgO."     Capacity 

,    25  tons  of  crude  ore  per  day. 

"NEEDS  FOR  STANDARDIZING  THE  DOMESTIC  PRODUCT.^ 

"One  of  the  most  important  factors  in  the  success  of  Austrian  magnesite  has  been 
the  careful  standardization  of  the  finished  product  attained  only  by  careful  selection 
and  preparation  of  the  raw  material,  and  skillful  burning,  whereby  a  product  of  uni- 
form quality  has  been  assured.  Uniformity  and  close  adherence  to  specifications 
undoubtedly  have  been  important  factors  in  the  growth  of  both  Austrian  and  Grecian 
business  in  the  United  States.  These  factors  are  called  to  the  attention  of  certain  of 
our  domestic  producers  because  laxity  on  the  part  of  a  few  of  them  in  these  respects 
has  caused  some  dissatisfaction  among  certain  domestic  consumers,  and  unfortunately 
an  unsympathetic  attitude  toward  them,  at  the  present  time. 

"There  were  undoubtedly  extenuating  circumstances  during  the  war  period,  among 
which  was  the  sudden  and  urgent  demand  caused  by  the  complete  cutting  off  of  the 
Austrian  and  Grecian  product,  together  with  a  certain  degree  of  inexperience  in  the 
business.  The  importance  to  our  own  producers  of  careful  selection  and  care  in  burn- 
ing can  not  be  over-emphasized  in  the  building  up  and  maintenaAce  of  the  domestic 
industry,  and  it  Is  believed  that  the  domestic  producers  are  alive  to  the  situation." 

In  1918,  for  the  first  time  since  Tulare  County  became  an  important 
producer  of  this  mineral,  it  was  surpassed  in  tonnage  output  for  the 
year,  but  regained  the  lead  in  1919,  followed  by* Santa  Clara  and  Napa 


^Phalen,  W.  C,  Magnesite.     In  "Excerpts  from  monthly  reports  on  minerals  investi- 
gations in  the  Bureau  of  Mines,  Department  of  the  Interior,"  February,  1919. 


88 


MINERAL    INDUSTRY    OP    CAl.lFORNIA. 


counties,  respectively.     Approximately  17,600  tons  were  reported  as 
shipped  calcined,  representing  35,200  tons  of  crude  ore. 

Production  of  crude  magnesite  for  1919,  by  counties,  is  given  in  the 
following  table,  with  total  crude  value : 


County 

Tons 

Value 

Fresno 

600 
10,112 
10,912 

2,031 
18,765 

2,276 

$5  950 

Napa -- 

86,752 

Santa  Clara 

128,924 

Stanislaus 

20,831 

Tulare    

186,601 

Riverside  and  San  Benito* 

23,036 

Totals    - -—       — 

44,696 

$452,094 

♦Combined  to  conceal  output  of  a  single  operator  in  each. 

Annual  production  for  California,  amount  and  value,  since  1887,  is 
shown  in  the  following  tabulation : 


Tear 

Tom 

Value 

Tear 

Tons 

Value 

1887 - 

600 
600 
GOO 
600 
1.500 
1.500 
1,093 
1.440 
2.200 
1.500 
1,143 
1.263 
1,280 
2,252 
4,726 
2,830 
1,361 
2.850 

$9,000 

9,000 
9.000 
9,000 
15,000 
15.000 
10,930 
10.240 
17,000 
11,000 
13,671 
19,075 
18.480 
19,333 
43,057 
20.655 
20,515 
9,298 

1005      

3,933 
4,032 
6,405 

10.582 
7.942 

16.570 
8,858 

10,512 
9,632 

11,438 

30,721 
154,052 
209,648 

83.974 

44,696 

$16  221 

1888 - 

1906 

40320 

1889       

1907 

57.720 
80,822 

1890 

1908 

1891  „_ 

ie09 

62,588 

1892 

1910 

113  887 

1893 

1911 _ 

67,430 

1894           

1912 

1913 _„- 

1914 

105,120 

77.056 

114,380 

283,461 

1895 _ _ 

1896  _„ _ 

1897 

1915 

1898    — — 

1916 

1  311  893 

1899  _.- _. 

1917            —    — 

1,976,227 

803  492 

1900 

1918 

1901    

1919 

452094 

1902 

Totals  __-    

1903  .—^ 

642,333 

$5,841,965 

1904 

MARBLE. 
Bibliography:  State  Mineralogist  Reports  XII,  XIII,  XIV,  XV. 
Bulletin  38.     U.  S.  Bur.  of  M.,  Bull.  106. 

Marble  is  widely  distributed  in  California,  and  in  a  considerable 
variety  of  colors  and  grain.  During  1918,  the  production  amounted  to 
25,020  cubic  feet,  valued  at  $74,482,  from  one  operator  in  Inyo  County, 
and  two  in  Tuolumne.  This  shows  a  small  increase  both  in  amount 
and  value  from  the  previous  year.  This  is  considerably  below  what 
might  be  considered  the  normal  output  of  former  years,  and  certainly 
far  below  our  possibilities.  There  are  many  varieties  found  in  Cali- 
fornia suitable  for  all  purposes  of  construction  or  decoration.  Among 
the  latter  are  deposits  of  onyx  marble  of  beautiful  coloring.  There 
is  also  serpentine  marble  suitable  for  electrical  switchboard  use. 


STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAL   PRODUCTION. 


89 


The  decrease  in  output  of  marble  in  recent  years  is  probably  due 
in  part  to  the  fact  that  foreign,  eastern  and  Alaskan  marbles  are  landed 
here  by  water  cheaper  than  much  of  our  local  stone  can  be  put  on  the 
market,  on  account  of  our  higher  labor  costs  and  transportation  difficul- 
ties, though  California  has  many  beautiful  and  serviceable  varieties. 
It  is  also  due  in  part  to  the  general  curtailment  of  building  activity  on 
account  of  the  war  conditions. 


_ ^^ . 

New    quarry    being    opened  .up    by    the    Bell    Marble    Company,    near    Columbia, 
Tuolumne  County.     Photo  by  C.  A.'  Logan. 


Data  on  annual  production  since  1887,  as  compiled  by  the  State 
Mining  Bureau,  follows.  Previous  to  1894  no  records  of  amount  were 
preserved : 


Tear 


Cubic  feet 


Value 


Year 


Cubic  feet 


Value 


1887 

i 

1888 

1889 -     

1890    -   . 

1 

1891 i 

1892 ' 

1893 

1894 

38,441 

1895  -_- 

-   _-    14,864 

1896 

1897 

7,88<J 

4,102 

1898 

8,050 

1899 

9,682 

1900 

_   4.103 

1901 

2,945 

1902 

19,305 

1903   -  - 

84,624 

1S04 

1   55.401 

$5,000' 

5,000 

87.030 

80.000 

100,000  I 

115.000 

40,000 

98.326 

56,566 

82,415 

7,280 

23.594 

10,550 

5.891 

4,630 

37,616 

97.354 

94,208 


1905 
1906 
1907 
1908 
1909 
1910 
1911 
1912 
1913 
1914 
1915 
1916 
1917 
1918 
1919 


Total  value 


73,303 
31.400 
37,512 
18.653 
79,600 
18,960 
20.201 
27,820 
41.654 
25.436 
22.186 
25,954 
24.755 
♦17.428 
25,020 


$129,450 
75.800 

118.066 
47.665 

238,400 
50,200 
54.103 
74.120 

113,282 
48.832 
41,518 
50.280 


49,896 

74,482 


$2,129,506 


♦Includes  onyx  and  serpentine. 


90 


MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 


In  quarry  of  Columbia  Marble  Company  at  Columbia, 
Tuolumne  County,  showing  channeled  faces.  Photo  by  C.  A. 
Logan. 

ONYX  and  TRAVERTINE. 
Bibliography:  State  Mineralogist  Reports  XII,  XIII,  XIV. 
letin  38. 


Bul- 


Onyx  and  travertine  are  known  to  exist  in  a  number  of  places  in 
California,  but  there  has  been  no  production  reported  since  the  year 
1896,  except  1918.  Some  stone  was  shipped  in  1918  from  the  Tolenas 
Springs  onyx  marble  deposit  in  Solano  County,  and  utilized  for  deco- 
rative purposes.  As  there  was  but  a  single  operator,  the  figures  were 
combined  with  those  of  the  marble  output  for  that  year. 


f 


STATISTICS   OP  ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


91 


"Swansea    White"    marble    in    quarry   of   Inyo   Marble    Company, 
Inyo  County.     Photo  by  courtesy  of  the  company. 


Production  by  years  was  as  follows : 


Tear 

Value 

Tear 

Value 

1887  

$900 

900 

900 

1.500 

2.400 

1.800 

27.000 

I  1894 _ 

$20,000 

1888 

j  1895                     

12,000 

1889     

1 1896                  

24,000 

1890  _ 

1918 

* 

1891 

1919     _                _      __    

1892 

Total 

1898 __ 

$91,400 

♦See  under  Marble. 


92 


MINERAL    INDUSTRY    OF    CALIFORNIA. 


SANDSTONE. 

Bibliography:  State  Mineralogist  Reports  XII,  XIII,  XIV,  XV. 
Bulletin  38.     U.  S.  Bur.  of  M.,  Bull.  124. 

An  unlimited  amount  of  liigh-grade  sandstone  is  available  in  Cali- 
fornia, but  the  wide  use  of  concrete  in  buildings  of  every  character,  as 
well  as  the  popularity  of  a  lighter-colored  building  stone,  has  curtailed 
production  in  this  branch  of  the  mineral  industry  during  recent  years, 
almost  to  the  vanishing  point.  In  1919  three  counties — Amador,  San 
Luis  Obispo,  and  Ventura— turned  out  5400  cubic  feet,  valued  at 
$3,720,  which  is  an  increase  over  1918,  but  considerably  less  than 
former  years.  The  main  feature  of  the  loss  since  1914  is  the  closing 
of  the  well-known  Colusa  quarries,  on  account  of  the  competition  of 
lighter-colored  materials. 

Amount  and  value,  so  far  as  contained  in  the  records  of  this  Bureau, 
are  presented  herewith,  with  total  value  from  1887  to  date : 


Tear 

Cubic  feet 

Value 

1887 

$175,000 

150,000 

175,598 

100,000 

100,000 

50,000 

26,314 

113,592 

35,373 

28.379 

24.086 

46.384 

103,384 

1888  „_ 



1889  



1890  „ 

1891   -  - 

1892 _. 

_ 

1893 _ 

1894 _ 

1895  _-_ „  .... 

1896   

1897   -    -  ,   - 

1898 - 

1899 

56.264 
378.468 
266,741 
212.123 
353.002 
36H,487 

1900 

254.140 

1901   

192,132 

1902 

142,506 

1903  - 

585,309 

1904 

567,181 

Tear 


Cubic  feet 


Value 


ISCo 
11906 
1907 
1908 
1909 
1910 
1911 
1912 
1913 
1914 
1915 
1916 
1917 
1918 
1919 


302.813 

$483,268 

182,076 

164.068 

159,578 

148,148 

93.301 

55.151 

79,240 

37,032 

165,971 

80,443 

255,313 

127,314 

66,487 

22,574 

62,227 

27,870 

111,691 

45,322 

63,350 

8,438 

17,270 

10.271 

31.090 

7.074 

900 

400 

5,400 

3,720 

Total  value 


$4,090,471 


SERPENTINE. 
Bibliography:  Report  XV.     Bulletin  38. 

Serpentine  has  not  been  produced  in  California  to  a  very  large  extent 
at  any  time.  A  single  deposit,  that  on  Santa  Catalina  Island,  has 
yielded  the  principal  output  to  date.  Some  material  was  shipped  from 
there  in  1917  and  1918,  being  the  first  recorded  since  1907.  It  was  used 
for  decorative  building  purposes  and  for  electrical  switchboards.  As 
there  was  but  a  single  operator,  the  figures  were  combined  with  those  of 
marble  output  for  those  years. 


STATISTICS   OP   ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


93 


The  following  table  shows  the  amount  and  value  of  serpentine  from 
]  895  as  recorded  by  this  Bureau : 


Tear 

Cubic  feet 

Value 

Tear 

Cubic  feet 

Value 

; 
IB95 

1         4,000 

1,500 

i        2,500 

750 

50O 

i           350 

89 

$4,000 
6,000 
2,500 
3,000 
2.000 
2.000 

890 
5.065 

800 

1904 

200 

$2,310 

696 

1905 

897 _-.-. 

898       

1906 

847 
1.000 

1 
a 

1,694 

1907           -    - 

8.000 

899 

1917 

X 

900 

1918 

t 

901 

1919 

.1902 

512 
99 

Totals  

1903  _._ 

12.347 

$33,259 

^Under  'Unapporti 
^See  under  Marble 

oned.' 

SLATE. 

Bihliography :  Report  XV.     Bulletin  38. 

Slate  was  first  produced  in  California  in  1889.  Up  to  and  including 
1910  such  production  was  continuous,  there  being  none  between  that 
year  and  1915.  Large  deposits  of  excellent  quality  are  known  in  the 
state,  especially  in  El  Dorado,  Calaveras  and  Mariposa  counties,  but 
the  demand  has  been  light  owing  principally  to  competition  of  cheaper 
roofing  materials. 

A  square  of  roofing  slate  is  a  sufficient  number  of  pieces  of  any  size 
to  cover  100  square  feet  of  roof,  with  allowance  generally  for  a  three- 
inch  lap.  The  size  of  the  pieces  of  slate  making  up  a  square  ranges 
from  7x9  inches  to  16  x  24  inches,  and  the  number  of  pieces  in  a 
square  ranges  from  85  to  686.  It  is  w^orth  $3.50  to  $10  per  square,  f .o.b. 
quarry,  depending  on  quality.  The  Ferry  Building,  San  Francisco,  is 
roofed  with  Eureka  slate  from  El  Dorado  County. 

A  complete  record  of  amount  and  value  of  slate  produced  in  Cali- 
fornia follows: 


1 


Year 

Squares 

Value 

Year 

Squaicf 

Value 

1889 

4,500 

4,000 

4,000 

3,500 

3,000 

1,800 

1,350 

500 

400 

400 

810 

3,500 

5.100 

4,000 

10,000 

1        6.000 

i         4,000 

$18,089 

24,000 

24.000 

21.000 

21,000 

11,700 

9,450 

2,500 

2,800 

2,800 

5,900 

26,250 

38,250 

30,000 

70,000 

50.000 

40,000 

1906 

10,000 
7.000 
6.000 
6.961 
1.000 

$100000 

1890 

1907 

60,000 

1891 _ 

1908 _ , 

i  1909 

60,000 

1892 

45,660 

1893 _ _ 

1910 _ 

8.000 

1894  _ _ 

1  1911 

1895 

!  1912 

1896  ._      ,      . 

:  1913        

1897 

1898 _ 

1914 _. 

1915 _ 

— . — — - 

""I'ooo" 

5.000 

1899 

1  1916 

1900 

Il917 - 

1901 

1  1918    

1902 

1919 -- 

1903 _ 

1904  __- _ 

Totals     _ 

88,821 

$676,399 

1905  

94 


MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OP   CALIFORNIA. 


MISCELLANEOUS  STONE. 

Bibliography:  State  Mineralogist  Reports  XII,  XIII,  XIV,  XV. 
Bulletin  38. 

^liseellaneous  stone  is  the  name  used  throughout  this  report  as  the 
title  for  that  branch  of  the  mineral  industry  covering  crushed  rock  of 
all  kinds,  paving  blocks,  sand  and  gravel,  and  pebbles  for  grinding 
mills.  The  foregoing  are  very  closely  related  from  the  standpoint  of 
the  producer.  Thus  it  has  been  found  to  be  most  satisfactory  to  group 
these  items  as  has  been  done  in  recent  reports  of  this  Bureau.     In  so 


Plant  of  the  Piedra  Rock  and  Sand  Company  at  Piedra,  Fresno  County,  showing 
belt  conveyor  equipment  for  loading  crushed  rock  from   stack  piles. 

far  as  it  has  been  possible  to  do  so,  crushed  rock  production  has  been 
sul)divided  into  the  various  uses  to  which  the  product  was  put.  It  will 
be  noted,  however,  a  very  large  percentage  of  the  output  has  been 
tabulated  under  the  heading  'Unclassified.'  This  is  necessary  because 
of  the  fact  that  many  of  the  producers  have  no  way  of  telling  to  what 
specific  use  their  rock  was  put  after  they  have  quarried  and  sold  the 
same. 

In  addition  to  amounts  produced  by  commercial  firms,  both  corpo- 
rations and  individuals,  there  is  hardly  a  county  in  the  state  but 
uses  more  or  less  gravel  and  broken  rock  on  its  roads.     Of  much  oi 


STATISTICS   OP   ANNUAL   PRODUCTION. 


95 


this,  particularly  in  the  country  districts,  there  is  no  definite  record 
kept.  Estimates  have  been  made  for  some  of  this  output,  based  on 
the  mileage  of  roads  repaired. 

For  the  year  1919  miscellaneous  stone  shows  a  small  increase  in 
total  value  from  the  preceding  year,  being  $3,698,944  as  compared  with 
$3,404,157  for  1918.  The  outlook  for  the  current  year,  1920,  is  not 
too  encouraging,  due  to  the  curtailment  of  highway  construction 
because  of  inability  to  sell  the  State  Highway  bonds  at  their  present 
rate  of  interest. 


Kings  River  Quarry  and  crusher  plant  of  the  Fiedra  Rock  and  Sand  Company  at 
i       Piedra,  Fresno  County.     Capacity  1200  tons  per  day. 

In  1919,  as  has  been  the  case  for  a  number  of  years  past,  Los 
Angeles  County  led  all  others  by  a  wide  margin,  with  an  output 
valued  at  $715,524;  followed  by  Alameda,  second,  with  $309,572; 
Sacramento,  third,  $276,432;  Contra  Costa,  fourth,  $275,309;  and 
Fresno,  fifth,  $241,213. 

Paving   Blocks. 

The  paving  block  industry  has  decreased  materially  of  recent  years, 
almost  to  the  vanishing  point,  because  of  the  increased  construction  of 
smoother  pavements  demanded  by  motor-vehicle  traffic.  The  blocks 
made  in  Solano  County  were  of  basalt;  those  from  Sonoma  are  of 
basalt,  andesite,  and  some  trachyte,  while  those  from  Placer,  Riverside, 
San  Bernardino,  and  San  Diego  are  of  granite. 


oe. 


MINERAL   LNDUSTRY   OP   CALIFORNIA. 


Production  in  1919  amounted  to  only  27  M.,  valued  at  $1,350,  from 
a  single  producer,  each,  in  Riverside,  San  Diego  and  Sonoma  counties; 

The  amount  and  value  of  paving  block  production  annually  since 
1887  has  been  as  follows : 


Tear 

Amount 
M. 

Value 

Tear 

Amount 
M. 

Valut 

1887  

♦10,000 
10,500 
7,303 
7,000 
5,000 
♦3,000 
2,770 
2,517 
2,332 
4,161 
1,711 
1,144 
305 
1,192 
3,920 
3,502 
4,854 
3,977 

$350,000 

367.500 

297,236 

245.000 

150.000 

96.000 

96.950 

66,981 

73,338 

77,584 

35.235 

21.725 

7.861 

23,775 

41,075 

112,437 

134.642 

161,752 

1905   ,     _  _  _ 

3,408 

4,203 

4,604 

7,660 

4,503 

4,434 

4,141 

11,018 

6,364 

6.053 

3,285 

1,322 

938 

372 

27 

$134,347 

1888  

1906 

173,432 

1889  

1907 

199,347 

1890 

1908 

334,780 

1891  .-_ _ 

1909 

199,803 

1892  _ 

1910 

198,916 

1893  _-_ 

1911 

210,819 

1894  

1912  

578,355 

1895  

1913 

363,505 

1896  

1914    _    _  __ 

270,598 

1897  _ 

1915 

171,092 

1898  

1916 

54,362 

1899   

1917 

38.567 

1900  _- 

1918  _ _ 

17,000 

1901  ___ 

1919 

1,350 

1902 

Totals  --. 

1903  

135,510 

$5,305,364 

1904   _- 

' 

♦Figures  for  1887-1892  (inc.)  are  for  Sonoma  County  only,  as  none  are  available 
for  other  counties  during  that  period ;  though  Solano  County  quarries  were  then  also 
quite  active. 

Grinding  Mill  Pebbles. 

Production  of  pebbles  for  tube  and  grinding  mills  began  commer- 
cially in  California  in  1915.  Owing  to  the  decreased  imports  and  higher 
prices  of  Belgium  and  other  European  flint  pebbles,  there  has  been  a 
serious  inquiry  for  domestic  sources  of  supply.  One  of  the  shipments 
made  in  that  year  was  of  pebbles  selected  from  gold-dredger  tailings  in 
Sacramento  County,  for  use  in  a  gold  mill  in  Amador  County  employing 
Hardinge  mills. 

The  important  development  in  this  item,  however,  has  been  in  San 
Diego  County.  At  several  points  along  the  ocean  shore  from  Encinitas 
south  to  near  San  Diego,  there  are  beaches  of  washed  pebbles  varying 
from  1  inch  to  6  inches  in  diameter,  which  came  from  conglomerate 
beds  made  up  of  well-rounded  water-worn  pebbles  of  various  granitic 
and  porphyritic  rocks  with  some  felsite  and  flint.  The  wave  action  has 
broken  down  portions  of  the  cliffs  for  considerable  distances  and  formed 
beaches  of  the  pebbles  which  are  well  washed  and  cleaned  of  the 
softer  materials.  The  rocks  sorted  out  for  shipment  are  mainly  basalt 
and  diabase,  with  an  occasional  felsite  and  flint  pebble.  There  is  a 
tough  black  basalt  which  is  stated  to  be  giving  satisfactory  results. 
In  Fresno  County  pebbles  have  been  selected  from  the  gravel  beds  of 
the  San  Joaquin  River  near  Friant.  Shipments  have  been  made  to 
metallurgical  plants  in   California,  Nevada,  Montana  and  Utah. 


STATISTICS   OP   ANNUAL   PRODUCTION. 


97 


There  was  some  resumption  of  imports  in  1919,  amounting  to  17,677 
tons,  valued  at  $250,096,  but  the  California  pebbles  still  continue  to 
supply  a  part  of  the  local  demand.  Though  several  parties  were 
engaged  in  this  business  in  San  Diego  County  in  1917-1919,  at  present 
(March,  1920),  the  number  is  reduced  to  a  single  operator.  The  output 
for  1919  was  2607  tons,  valued  at  $19,272,  all  from  San  Diego  County. 
The  prices  varied  from  $4  to  $10  per  ton,  f.o.b.  shipping  point, 
according  to  quality,  size  and  shape,  the  average  being  about  $8  per  ton. 

The  amount  and  value  of  grinding  mill  pebbles,  annually,  follows : 


Tear 

Tons 

Value 

1915                                       ,             .             

340 

20.232 

21,450 

8,628 

2,607 

$2,810 

1916    -  _                    _                      _-      - 

107,567 

1917          -  -      --    --    ._-. 

90,538 

1918 „    __    _, 

61,268 

1919    — 

19,272 

Totals    

53.257 

$281,455 

Sand  and  Gravel   Production,   by  Counties,  1919. 


County 


County 


Value 


Alameda    !  ^342.577 

Alpine   \  150 

Calaveras  i  2,000 

Colusa    \  11,000 

Contra  Costa  '  26,578 

Del  Norte  lO.OOO 

El  Dorado 200 

Fresno 373,918 

Glenn   <  407,611 

Humboldt  26,729 

Imperial 2,800 

Inyo    2,300 

Kern    107,800 

Lake  2,000 

Los  Angeles  I  824,589 

Marin  _|  28,667 

Mariposa  I  500 

Mendocino    !  13,333 

Merced    '  50,000 

Modoc   500 

Monterey  293953 

Napa    107,890 

Nevada  3,320 

Orange    8,653 

Plumas   500 

Riverside    j  13,604 


$188,645 

100 

600 

4,900 

8,781 

6,000 

200 

164,613 

58,137 

22,499 

1,500 

3,150 

23,820 

1,200 

377,805 

14,333 

200 

5,000 

27,600 

250 

73,031 

60,346 

756 

1,944 

250 

9.030 


Sacramento  

San  Benito 

San   Bernardino 

San  Diego 

San   Joaquin   

San  Luis  Obispo 

San  Mateo  

Santa  Barbara  

Santa  Clara  

Santa  Cruz 

Shasta 

I  Sierra    

j  Siskiyou    

I  Sonoma    

j  Stanislaus    

I  Tehama    

iTrinity  

j  Tulare  

Tuolumne   

j Ventura   

Yolo   

i  Yuba    

I  Butte,    Placer,*    So- 
lano*     


^75,428 

48,000 

276,727 

^290,691 

130,119 

17,3eO 

15,281 

8,934 

96,971 

17,000 

18,667 

1,333 

36,270 

161,666 

34,985 

8,000 

633 

24,000 

3,000 

10,000 

asoo 

123,266 

97,787 


Totals  i  3,965,730 


$49,103 

32.500 

115,520 

100,175 

59,510 

10,800 

10,411 

6,400 

52,237 

8,700 

10,750 

750 

12.037 

45,626 

28,522 

7,500 

825 

10,211 

1,500 

5,000 

5.600 

39.839 

26,221 


$1,694,427 


•Gombined  to  conceal  output  of  a  single  operator  in  each, 
ilneludes  moulding  sand. 

^Includes  moulding,  building,  filter,  and  roofing  sand. 
^Includes  foundry  core  sand. 


7-4598 


98 


MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 


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STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAL   PRODUCTION. 


99 


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MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 


A  comparison  of  the  table  of  annual  productions  of  these  materials 
with  the  similar  table  for  cement  (see  ante),  reveals  the  fact  that  the 
important  growth  of  the  crushed  rock  and  gravel  business  was  coinci- 
dent with  the  rapid  development  of  the  cement  industry  from  the  year 
1902. 


Sa«d  and  gravel  plant  of  Fi^esno  Rock  Products  Company,  at  Woodrock,  on  the 
Kings  River,  Fresno  County.     Capacity  700  tons  per  day. 

The  amount  and  value,  annually,  of  crushed  rock  (including  macadam, 
ballast,  rubble,  riprap,  and  that  for  concrete),  and  sand  and  gravel, 
since  1893,  follow: 


Crushed  Rock,  Sand 

and  Gravel,  by  Years 

. 

Year 

Tons 

Value 

Year 

Tons 

Value 

1893 

371,100 

661,900 

1,254,688 

960,619 

821.123 

1,177,365 

964,898 

789,287 

530,396 

2,056,015 

2,215,625 

2,296.898 

2.624.257 

1,555,372 

2,288,888 

$456,075 

664,838 

1,095,939 

839,884 

600,112 

814,477 

786,892 

561,642 

641,037 

1,249,529 

1,673,591 

1,641,877 

1.716,770 

1,418,406 

1,915,015 

1908 

3,998,945 
5,531,561 
5,827,828 
6,487,223 
8,044,937 
9,817,616 
9,288,397 
10,879,497 
9,951,089 
8,069,271 
6,641,144 
6,919,188 

$3  241  774 

1894 _. 

1909     _ 

2,708,326 

1895  _ 

1910   „-. 

2,777,690 

1896  .._ __ 

1911 

3,610,357 

1897 

1912  _ .- 

4,532,598 

1898 

1913 

4,823,056 

1899 

1914 , 

3,960,973 

1900 _ 

1915 — 

4,609,278 

1901 

1916 

4,009,590 

1902  ___ 

1917 

3,505,662 

1903 

1918 

3,325,889 

1904  __ 

1919 

3,678,322 

1905 

Totals  

1906 

112,025,127 

$60,859,599 

1907  -  -    _ 

STATISTICS   OF  ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


101 


Total    Value   of   Production    of   'Miscellaneous   Stone'    (Cruslied    Rock,    Sand,    Gravel, 
Paving   Blocl<s  and  Grinding  Mill  Pebbles),  by  Counties,  for  1919. 


County 


County 


Alameda   

Alpine  

Butte    

Calaveras  

Colusa   

Contra  Costa 

Del  Norte 

El  Dorado  ___ 

Fresno   

Glenn 

Humboldt    _._ 

Imperial   

Inyo    — 

Kern 

Lake    

Lassen   

Los  Angeles  _ 

Madera 

Marin    

Mariposa    

Mendocino  _— 

Merced   1- 

Modoc 

Monterey    ____ 

Napa   

Nevada    

Orange  

Placer  


$309,572 

100 

92,765 

600 

4,900 

275,309 

6,300 

1,700 

241,213 

58,137 

25,198 

63,900 

7,850 

28,320 

1,200 

1,100 

715,524 

1,500 

127,111 

40O 

7,000 

40,350 

550 

73,031 

70,016 

1,976 

1,944 

4,330 


Plumas 

Riverside   

Sacramento    

San  Benito  

San  Bernardino 

San  Diego  

San  Francisco  _ 

San  Joaquin 

San  Luis  Obispo 

San  Mateo 

Santa  Barbara  _ 

Santa  Clara  

Santa  Cruz  

Shasta   

Sierra  

Siskiyou   

Solano   

Sonoma  

Stanislaus  

Tehama  

Trinity    

Tulare   

Tuolumne 

Ventura  

Yolo  

Yuba   

Totals    


$850 

102,399 

276,432 

164,300 

183,388 

141,996 

65,541 

59.510 

20.3C0 

42.235 

29,900 

73.237 

17,074 

31.750 

750 

26,405 

44,156 

144,014 

28,922 

7,500 

11,839 

10,811 

2,700 

5,000 

5,600 

40,439 


$3,698,944 


102  MINERAL  INDUSTRY   OP   CALIFORNIA. 

CHAPTER  FIVE. 

INDUSTRIAL  MATERIALS. 

Bibliography :  Reports  XIV,  XV.     Bulletin  38.     Min.  &  Sci.  Press, 
Vol.  114,  March  10,  1917. 

The  following  mineral  substances  have  been  arbitrarily  arranged 
under  the  general  heading  of  Industrial  Materials,  as  distinguished  from 
those  which  have  a  clearly  defined  classification,  such  as  metals,  salines, 
structural  materials,  etc. 

These  materials,  many  of  which  are  mineral  earths,  are,  with  four 
or  five  exceptions,  as  yet  produced  on  a  comparatively  small  scale.  The 
possibilities  of  development  along  several  of  these  lines  are  large  and 
with  increasing  transportation  and  other  facilities,  together  with  stead- 
ily growing  demands,  the  future  for  this  branch  of  the  mineral  industry 
in  California  is  certainly  promising.  There  is  scarcely  a  county  in  the 
state  but  might  contribute  to  the  output. 

Up  to  within  the  last  few  years,  at  least,  production  has  been  in  the 
majority  of  instances  dependent  upon  more  or  less  of  a  strictly  local 
market,  and  the  annual  tables  show  the  results  of  such  a  condition,  not 
only  in  the  widely  varying  amounts  of  a  certain  material  produced  from 
year  to  year,  but  in  widely  varying  prices  of  the  same  material.  Fur- 
thermore, the  quality  of  this  general  class  of  material  will  be  found  to 
fluctuate,  even  in  the  same  deposit.  The  war  in  Europe  affected  some 
of  these  items,  but  not  to  the  striking  degree  that  it  did  the  metal 
markets. 

The  more  important  of  these  minerals  thus  far  exploited,  so  far  as 
shown  by  annual  value  of  the  output,  are  limestone,  mineral  water, 
pyrite,  pottery  clays,  and  diatomaceous  earth. 

The  following  summary  shows  the  value  of  the  industrial  materials 
produced  in  California  during  the  years  1918-1919,  with  iijcrease  or 
decrease  in  each  instance : 


STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


103 


Amount 


1919 


Increase  4- 
Decrease- 
Value 


Asbestos   

Barytes   

Clay    (pottery)    

Dolomite    

Feldspar  __ _ 

Fluorspar  .__ 

Fuller's  earth 

Gems    

Graphite  

Gypsum    

Infusorial     and     diatomacecus 

earths    

Limestone   

Lithia    

Mineral  paint 

Mineral   water   

Pumice  and  volcanic  ash _. 

Pyrite    

Silica  (sand  and  quartz) 

Soapstone    and   talc 

Strontium    — 

Asbestos,  fluorspar,  graphite* — 


100  tons 

112,423  tons 

24,560  tons 

4,132  tons 

87  tons 


19,695  tons 

35,968  tons 

206,566  tons 

4,111  tons 

728  tons 

1,808,791  gals. 

2,114  tons 

128,329  tons 

23,257  tons 

11,760  tons 

2,900  tons 


Total  value 
Net  decrease 


$1,500 

166,788 

79,441 

22,061 


650 
37,176 


456,258 

73,998 

4,738 

375,650 
28,66» 

425,012 
88,930 
85,534 
33,000 
14,007 


$2,085,204 


1,501  tons 

135,708  tons 

24,502  tons 

1,272  tons 


385  tons 


19,813  tons 

40,200  tons 

88,291  tons 

800  tons 

1,780  tons 

,233,842  gals. 

2,388  tons 

147,024  tons 

18,659  tons 

8,764  tons 


$18,065 
245,019 
67,953 
12,995 


3,810 
5,425 
* 

50,579 

217,800 
248,145 
14,400 
17,055 
340,117 
43,657 
540,300 
101,600 
115,091 


19,500 


$2,061,481 


$16,565+ 

78,231+ 

11,488— 

9,096— 

3,477+ 
4,775+ 
*  + 
13.403+ 

28,341+ 

209,113- 

59,598- 

12,317+ 

35,53S- 

14,988+ 

115,288+ 

12,670+ 

29,557+ 

33,000- 

5,493+ 


$21,723- 


"  Combined  to  conceal  output  of  a  single  operator  in  each. 


ASBESTOS. 

Bibliography :  State  Mineralogist  Reports  XII,  XIII,  XIV.  Bul- 
letin 38.  Canadian  Dept.  of  M.,  Mines  Branch  Bulletin  69. 
Min.  and  Sci.  Press,  April  10,  1920,  pp.  531-533. 

Though  asbestos  of  various  grades  is  known  in  several  localities  in 
California,  the  production  thus  far  is  still  small.  For  the  year  1919, 
as  there  was  only  a  single  producer,  the  figures  are  concealed  under 
the  'Unapportioned'  item.  There  was,  however,  a  smaller  tonnage 
produced  which  brought  a  higher  price  per  ton  than  in  1918.  From 
Nevada  County  some  small  shipments  of  spinning  fiber  were  sent  East ; 
but  the  main  part  of  the  output  was  utilized  locally  in  magnesite- 
cement  stucco,  steam-pipe  covering,  and  flooring. 

The  Nevada  County  material  yields  a  good  proportion  of  medium- 
length  chrysotile  with  some  high-grade  spinning  fiber.  The  Sierra 
Asbestos  Company  has  opened  up  a  promising  deposit  there,  and  is 
milling  its  rock  in  an  old  20-stamp  gold  mill  converted  to  their  pur- 
poses, to  which  fiber i zing  machinery  has  been  added.  Chrysotile  of 
good-quality  fiber,  though  short,  has  also  been  found  in  Calaveras, 
Fresno,  Lake  and  Trinity  counties. 

The  bulk  of  the  world 's  supply  of  this  mineral  comes  from  Canada ; 
and  Canadian  asbestos,  so  far,  leads  in  length  of  fiber  as  well  as  in 
quality. 


104  MINERAL   INDUSTRY    OF    CALIFORNIA. 

Classification  and  Characteristics. 

The  word  asbestos  (derived  from  the  Greek,  meaning  incombustible) 
as  used  here  includes  several  minerals,  from  a  strictly  mineralogical 
standpoint.  There  are  two  main  divisions,  however;  amphibole  and 
chrysotile.  The  fibrous  varieties  of  several  of  the  amphiboles  (silicates 
chiefly  of  lime,  magnesia  and  iron),  notably  tremolite  and  actinolite, 
are  called  asbestos.  Their  fibres  usually  lie  parallel  to  the  fissures  con- 
taining them.  Amphibole  asbestos  possesses  high  refractory  properties, 
but  lacks  strength  of  fibre,  and  is  applicable  principally  for  covering 
steam  pipes  and  boilers.  Chrysotile,  a  hydrous  silicate  of  magnesia,  is 
a  fibrous  form  of  serpentine,  and  often  of  silky  fineness.  Its  fibres  are 
formed  at  right  angles  to  the  direction  of  the  fissures  containing  them. 
Chrysotile  fibres,  though  short,  have  considerable  strength  and  elasticity, 
and  may  be  spun  into  threads  and  woven  into  cloth.  To  bring  the 
highest  market  price  asbestos  must  needs  have  a  combination  of  prop- 
erties, i.  e.,  length  and  fineness  of  fibre,  tensile  strength  and  flexibility — 
all  combined  with  infusibility.  Of  these  qualities  the  most  important 
are  toughness  and  infusibility,  and  determination  of  the  same  can  only 
be  made  by  practical  tests  or  in  the  laboratory. 

Asbestos,  roughly  speaking,  was  worth  from  $20  to  $200  per  ton, 
before  the  war.  Under  the  stimulus  of  war  conditions,  the  demand  has 
caused  a  material  increase  in  prices.  The  poorer  grades  which  are 
unsuitable  for  weaving  and  which,  of  course,  command  the  lower  prices, 
are  used  in  the  manufacture  of  steam  packing,  furnace  linings,  asbestos 
brick,  wall  plasters,  paints,  tiling,  asbestos  board,  shingles,  insulating 
material,  magnesite-stucco,  etc.  The  better  grades  are  utilized  in  the 
manufacture  of  tapestries  of  various  kinds,  fireproof  theater  curtains, 
cloth,  rope,  etc. 

A  very  important  development  of  the  asbestos  industry  is  the  rapidly 
increasing  demand  for  the  lower  grade  material,  on  account  of  the 
numerous  diversified  uses  to  which  asbestos  products  are  being  put,  in 
almost  every  branch  of  manufacture.  This  fact  means  that  many 
deposits  of  asbestos  will  become  commercially  important  even  though 
the  grade  of  the  material  is  far  from  the  best. 

It  has  been  found  that  not  only  does  an  asbestos  wall-plaster  render 
the  wall  so  covered  impervious  to  heat,  but  that  in  rooms  which  have 
given  forth  an  undesirable  echo  this  evil  has  been  absolutely  removed. 
Asbestos  pulp  mixed  with  magnesite-cement  has43een  experimented  with ; 
and  roofing,  flooring,  and  other  building  material  of  the  most  satis- 
factory sort  has  been  manufactured  therefrom. 


STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAL   PRODUCTION. 


105 


Value  and  Production. 

Total  amount  and  value  of  asbestos  production  in  California  since 
1887,  as  given  in  the  records  of  this  Bureau,  are  as  follows : 


Tear 

Tons 

Value 

Tear 

Tom 

Value 

1887 

30 
30 
30 
71 
66 
30 
50 
50 
25 

$1,800 
1.800 
1.800 
4.260 
3.960 
1.830 
2.500 
2.250 
1.000 

1905 

112 

70 

70 

70 

65 

200 

125 

90 

47 

51 

143 

145 

136 

229 

$2,625 
3.500 
3,500 
6100 

1888 

1906 

1907 

1889 

1890 

1908 

1891 _ 

1909 

6500 

1892 _ 

1910 

20.000 
500 

1893 _ 

1911 

1894 

1912    -   , 

2  700 

1895 

1913 

1.175 
1.530 
2.860 
2,380 
10,225 
9,903 

1896 

1914 

1897  .„ ..-. 

1915 

1898 

10 

30 

50 

110 

200 

750 

1.250 

4.400 

1916 

1899 

1917    -   —   - 

1900 

1918 

1901 

1919 

1902 

Totals 

1903 

2,145 

$101,460 

1904  _-  

10 

162 

♦Under  Unapportioned. 


Bibliography 
letin  38. 


BARYTES. 

State  Mineralogist  Reports  XII, 


XIV,  XV.     Bul- 


The  output  of  crude  barytes  during  1919  was  1,501  tons,  valued  at 
$18,065  as  compared  with  the  1918  production  of  100  tons,  worth 
$1,500.  This  mineral  is  ordinarily  sorted  and  ground  before  being 
put  on  the  market.  The  principal  use  for  barytes  is  in  the  paint 
industry ;  also  in  certain  rubber  articles.  For  the  former  purpose,  the 
material  should  show  pure  white  after  grinding.  Lithopone  is  a  chemi- 
cally prepared  white  pigment  containing  about  70%  barium  sulphate 
and  30%  zinc  sulphide,  and  is  one  of  the  principal  constituents  of  'flat' 
wall  paints  now  so  extensively  used  in  office  buildings  and  hospitals, 
replacing  both  paper  and  calcimine  wall  finishes.  Minor  uses  are  in 
tanning  of  leather,  manufacture  of  paper  and  rope,  and  sugar  refining. 

Known  occurrences  of  this  mineral  in  California  are  located  in  Inyo, 
Los  Angeles,  Mariposa,  Monterey,  Nevada,  San  Bernardino,  Shasta, 
and  Santa  Barbara  counties.  The  deposit  at  El  Portal,  in  Mariposa 
County,  has  given  the  largest  commercial  production  to  date,  in  part, 
witherite  (barium  carbonate,  BaCOg),  though  idle  in  1919,  The  1915 
output  was  the  first  commercial  production  of  the  carbonate  in  the 
United  States,  of  which  we  have  record.     In  1916,  output  began  from 


106 


MINERAL  INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 


a  deposit  opened  up  on  Fremont 's  Peak,  Monterey  County,  near  the 
line  of  San  Benito  County.  The  1919  shipments  were  mainly  from 
Monterey  and  Nevada  counties,  with  a  small  trial  shipment  from 
Shasta  County. 

The  first  recorded  production  of  barytes  in  California,  according  to 
the  statistical  reports  of  the  State  Mining  Bureau,  was  in  1910.  The 
annual  figures  are  as  follows: 


Tear 

Tons 

Value 

Year 

Tons 

Value 

1910 

860 
309 
564 
1.600 
2,000 
410 

$5,640 

2,207 
2.812 
3,680 
3.000 
620 

1916 

1,606 

4,420 

100 

1,501 

$5,516 

1911  

1917 

25,633 

1912 

1918 

1,500 

1913 

1919 

18,065 

1914 

Totals  

1915 

13.370 

$68,673 

CLAY— POTTERY. 

Bibliography:  State  Mineralogist  Reports  I,  IV,  IX,  XII,  XIII, 
XIV,  XV.     Bulletin  38.     Preliminary  Report,  No.  7. 

At  one  time  or  another  in  the  history  of  the  state,  pottery  clay  has 
been  quarried  in  thirty-three  of  its  counties.  In  this  report  pottery 
clay  refers  to  all  cl^ys  used  in  the  manufacture  of  red  and  brown 
earthenware,  flowerpots,  ornamental  tiling,  architectural  terra  cotta, 
sewer  pipe,  etc.,  and  the  figures  for  amount  and  value  are  relative  to 
the  crude  material  at  the  pit,  without  reference  to  whether  the  clay  was 
sold  in  the  crude  form,  or  whether  it  was  immediately  used  in  the  manu- 
facture of  any  of  the  above  finished  products  by  the  producer.  It  does 
not  include  clay  used  in  making  brick  and  building  blocks. 

During  1919  a  total  of  36  producers  in  12  counties  reported  an 
output  of  135,708  tons  of  clay,  having  a  spot  value  of  $245,019  for 
the  crude  material,  at  the  pits,  as  compared  with  the  1918  production 
of  112,423  tons  worth  $166,788. 


STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAL   PRODUCTION. 


107 


A  tabulation  of  the  direct  returns  from  the  producers,  by  counties, 
for  the  year  1919,  is  shown  herewith: 


Ck)unty 


Tons 


Value 


Used  In  manufacture  of- 


Alameda 
Amador 


Los  Angeles 


Placer 


Riverside   _ 
San  Diego 


Santa  Clara 

Contra  Costa,  Humboldt,  Orange, 
Sacramento,  San  Bernardino,  Ven- 
tura*     _ 


Totals 


15,011 
220,653 

»11,S29 

43.V27 

45,207  61,006 

*7fi2  I  4,929 

2,532  2,232 


$12,127 
55,523 

33,343 

60,713 


7.487 


135,708 


15,116 


$245,019 


Architectural  terra  cotta,  building 
blocks,  and  sewer  pipe. 

Architectural  terra  cotta,  porcelain 
ware,  fire-clay  ware,  stoneware,  pot- 
tery, sewer  pipe;  also  some  kaolin 
used  in  insecticide  tree  spray. 

Architectural  terra  cotta,  sanitary 
and  stoneware,  floor,  faience,  roof- 
ing and  drain  tile,  sewer  and  water 
pipe. 

Fire-clay  ware,  floor,  drain  and  roof- 
ing tile,  architectural  terra  cotta, 
sewer  and  chimney  pipe,  flue  lining, 
lead  pots,  sanitary  ware. 

Fire-clay  ware,  chimney  and  flue 
lining,  sewer  pipe. 

Chemical  stoneware  and  architect- 
ural terra  cotta. 

Red  earthenware  and  sewer  pipe. 


Mantel    and    drain    tile,    porcelain, 
sewer  pipe. 


^Includes  'fireclay  brick  dust.' 

^Includes  washed  kaolin  and  ball  clay. 

^Includes  crushed  brick. 

♦Includes  'Cornwall  stone,'  used  for  pottery:  also  halloysite  used  in  oil  refining. 

•Combined  to  conceal  output  of  a  single  operator  in  each. 

Because  of  the  fact  that  a  given  product  often  requires  a  mixture  of 
several  different  clays,  and  that  these  are  not  all  found  in  the  same  pit, 
it  is  necessary  for  most  clay-working  plants  to  buy  some  part  of  their 
raw  materials  from  other  localities.  For  these  reasons,  in  compiling  the 
clay  industry  figures,  much  care  is  required  to  avoid  duplications. 
So  far  as  we  have  been  able  to  segregate  the  figures,  from  the  data 
sent  in  by  the  operatives,  we  have  credited  the  clay  output  to  the 
counties  from  which  the  raw  material  originated;  and  have  deducted 
tonnages  used  in  brick  manufacture,  as  bricks  are  classified  separately, 
herein. 

The  values  of  the  various  pottery  clay  products  made  in  California 
during  1919,  totaled  $2,076,280  compared  with  $1,687,902  in  1918, 
their  distribution  being  shown  in  the  following  tabulation : 


108 


MINERAL  INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 
Values  of  Pottery  Clay  Products,   1919. 


Product 


Number  of 
producers 


Architectural  terra  cotta 

Chimney  pipe,  terra  cotta.  and  flue  linings 

Drain  tile 

Roofing  tile  

Sewer  pipe 

Stoneware  and  sanitary  ware 

Red  earthenware  

Floor  and  faience  tile 

Miscellaneous,  including  bisque  ware,  doll  heads,  art  pot- 
tery, mantel  tile,  porcelain,  hotel  and  dinner  ware,  garden 
furniture,  water  and  conduit  pipe  and  lead  pots 


Total  value 


$207,142 

56,547 

78.724 

127,770 

779,079 

625,464 

81,500 

16.074 


103,980 


$2,076,280 


A  recent  and  unique  addition  to  the  pottery  industry  of  California  is 
the  making  of  bisque  doll  heads  by  the  California  China  Company  at 
Berkeley.  The  plant  was  built  in  1916,  but  made  no  commercial  output 
until  1919.  This  is  stated  to  be  the  only  firm  in  the  United  States  at 
present  producing  and  selling  bisque  doll  heads  on  a  commercial  scale. 
Before  the  war,  such  articles  were  imported  from  Germany.  This 
plant  is  using  mainly  California  clays,  silica,  and  feldspar. 

Amount  and  value  of  crude  pottery  clay  output  in  California  since 
1887  are  given  in  the  following  table : 


Tear 

Tons 

Value 

Tear 

Tons 

.  Value 

1887 __ 

75,000 
75,000 
75,000 
100,000 
100,000 
100,000 
24,856 
28,475 
37,660 
41,907 
24,592 
28,947 
40,600 
59,636 
55,679 
67,933 
90,972 
84,149 

$37,500 
37,500 
37,500 
50,000 
50,000 
50,000 
67,284 
35,073 
39,685 
62,900 
30,290 
33,747 
42,700 
60,956 
39,144 
74,163 
99,907 
81,952 

1905 

133,805 
167,267 
160.385 
208.042 
299,424 
249,028 
224,576 
199,605 
231,179 
179,948 
157,866 
134,636 
166,298 
112,423 
135,708 

$130,146 

1888   — 

1906 

162,283 

1889  

1907  -  - 

254,454 
325,147 

1890  

1908 

1891 _ 

1909   -  _   -  _ 

465  647 

1892  _. 

1910 

324  099 

1893 

1911  - 

252,759 

1894   __  

1912 

215  683 

1895 _ 

1913  

261,273 

1896  

1914 

167,552 
133  724 

1897 

1915 

1898 

1916 

146,538 

1899  

1917 

154  602 

1900 

1918 

166  788 

1901 _ 

1919 

245,019 

1902 

Totals 

1903 

3,870,596 

$4,336,015 

1904 

DOLOMITE. 

Bibliography:  Report  XV.     Bulletin  67. 

Previous  to  the  1915  report  dolomite  was  included  under  limestone. 
Limestones  are  frequently  more  or  less  magnesian-bearing,  and  a  chem- 
ical analysis  is  often  necessary  to  definitely  decide  as  to  whether  they 


STATISTICS   OP   ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


109 


are  calcite  or  dolomite;  the  latter  standing  intermediate  between  mag- 
nesite  (MgCOg)  and  calcite  (CaCOs).  Since  dolomite,  as  such,  has 
been  found  to  have  certain  distinctive  applications,  we  have  deemed  it 
worthy  of  a  separate  classification. 

The  major  portion  of  the  tonnage  being  shipped  is  utilized  as  a 
refractory  lining  in  the  bottoms  of  open-hearth  steel  furnaces,  as  a 
substitute  for  magnesite.  A  portion  is  used  for  its  carbonic  acid  gas 
(CO2),  and  part  for  its  magnesia.  We  are  also  informed  that  some 
calcined  dolomite  has  been  used  by  the  paper  mills.  As  the  San 
Benito  and  Monterey  dolomite  has  been  found  to  contain  the  proper 
proportions  of  lime  and  magnesia,  it  can  replace  an  artificial  mixture 
of  calcined  limestone  and  magnesite  in  the  manufacture  of  paper  from 
wood  pulp.  Dolomite  is  also  sometimes  used  as  a  flux  in  metal 
smelting. 

The  production  of  dolomite  for  the  year  1919  amounted  to  24,502 
tons,  valued  at  $67,953,  and  came  from  a  total  of  6  quarries  in  4 
counties,  distributed  as  follows : 


County 


Value 


Monterey    ,  8,28'3 

San  Benito  '  7,000 

Inyo  and  San  Bernardino* 9,222 

Totals 24,502 


$29,120 
24.500 
14,333 


$67,953 


•Combined  to  conceal  output  of  a  single  operator  in  each. 

Amount  and  value  of  the  output  of  dolomite,  annually,  have  been 
as  follows: 


Tear 


Value 


1915 
^   1916 
1917 

P1918 
1919 


4,192 

$14,504 

13,313 

46,566 

27,911 

66.416 

24.560 

79,441 

24,502  , 

67.953 

Totals 


94,478 


$274,880 


FELDSPAR. 

BiUiographij :   Report    XV.     Bulletin    67.     U.    S.   Bur.   of   M., 
Bull.    92. 

Feldspar  was  produced  by  a  single  operator  in  each  of  three  counties 
during  1919,  Monterey,  Riverside  and  Tulare,  to  the  amount  of  1272 
tons,  valued  at  $12,965. 


110 


MINERAL  INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 


Feldspar  production  only  dates  back  to  1910  in  California.  The 
mineral  is  a  constituent  of  many  rocks,  but  can  only  be  commercially 
produced  from  pegmatites  where  the  crystals  are  large  and  quite 
free  from  impurities.  The  open-cut  method  of  mining  this  material  is 
commonly  used.  Manufacturers  of  enamel  wares  and  pottery  buy  most 
of  the  better  grades  of  feldspar  produced.  Small  quantities  are  used  in 
the  manufacture  of  glass  and  scouring  soaps,  and  the  more  impure 
material  is  used  as  chicken  grit,  in  making  various  brands  of  roofing, 
and  in  other  ways.  Various  experiments  have  been  made  with  the 
potash  feldspars  in  the  attempt  to  extract  their  potash  content  for 
use  in  fertilizers.  The  most  successful  of  these  has  been  accomplished 
through  the  medium  of  cement  manufacture,  and  recovery  of  the 
potash  as  a  by-product. 

i"The  requirements  of  the  pottery  trade  demand  that  In  general  the  percentage  of 
free  quartz  associated  with  the  feldspar  used  for  this  purpose  shall  not  exceed  20  per 
cent  in  the  ground  product,  and  certain  potters  demand  a  spar  which  is  nearly  pure, 
containing  probably  less  than  5  per  cent  of  free  quartz.  In  order  to  be  profitably 
worked  in  most  feldspar  mines  between  one-fourth  and  one-half  of  the  total  material 
that  must  be  excavated  should  contain  less  than  20  per  cent  of  free  quartz.  Fresh- 
ness of  the  feldspar,  though  desirable,  is  not  essential. 

"A  factor  of  the  utmost  importance  in  the  mining  of  pottery  spar  is  the  quantity 
of  iron-bearing  minerals  (black  mica,  hornblende,  garnet,  black  tourmaline,  etc.) 
present  and  the  manner  in  which  these  minerals  are  associated  with  the  feldspar. 
The  requirements  of  the  pottery  trade  demand  that  the  spar  be  nearly  free  from  these 
minerals.  In  order  that  a  deposit  may  be  worked  profitably  these  minerals,  if  present 
in  any  appreciable  quantity,  must  be  so  segregated  in  certain  portions  of  the  deposit 
that  they  can  be  separated  from  the  spar  without  much  more  hand  sorting  and  cobbing 
than  is  necessary  anyway  in  the  separation  of  the  highly  feldspathic  material  from 
that  which  is  highly  quartzose  or  rich  in  muscovite.  The  presence  here  and  there 
of  minute  flakes  of  white  mica  (muscovite)  is  characteristic  even  of  the  highest 
grades  of  commercial  feldspar,  and  this  mineral  is  not  injurious  except  in  so  far  as 
it  is  exceedingly  difficult  to  pulverize  the  thin,  flexible  mica  plates  to  a  fineness  equal 
to  that  required  in  the  feldspar,  and  it  is  therefore  necessary  in  mining  to  separate 
carefully  as  much  of  the  myscovite  as  possible  from  the  spar. 

"Recently  potash  feldspars  have  been  sought  as  a  source  of  potash  salts  and  also 
by  reason  of  their  potash  content  for  incorporation  in  so-called  complete  fertilizers. 
For  such  purposes  the  prices  paid  are  generally  less  than  for  pottery  feldspar  of  first 
and  second  grade,  and  if  such  use  of  feldspar  is  found  practicable  the  quantities 
required  will  be  far  in  excess  of  those  heretofore  annually  required  by  the  pottery 
industries.  To  supply  such  a  demand  pegmatite  deposits  must  be  of  large  size  and 
very  favorably  located  with  respect  to  transportation  facilities  and  market. 

"The  requirements  for  extraction  of  potash  and  for  use  in  fertilizer  are  a  high 
potash  content  and  convenience '  of  location.  The  presence  of  quartz  and  of  iron- 
bearing  and  other  minerals  in  small  quantities  is  of  no  significance.  Both  white  and 
black  mica  are  potash-bearing  minerals  and  therefore  not  wholly  undesirable. 

"Almost  any  coarse,  undecomposed  granite  pegmatite  is  adapted  to  the  manu- 
facture of  roofing  materials  and  poultry  grit,  but  these  products  command  such  low 
prices  that  they  can  be  marketed  only  under  very  favorable  conditions." 

Total  amount  and  value  of  feldspar  production  in  California  since 
the  inception  of  the  industry  are  given  in  the  following  table,  by  years : 


Tear 

Tons" 

Value 

Tear 

Tons 

Value 

1910 

760 
740 
1,382 
2,129 
3,530 
1,800 

$5,720 
4.560 
6,180 
7,850 

16,565 
9.000 

1916 

2,630 

11,792 

4,132 

1.272 

$14,350 

1911 

1917 

46,411 

1912 

1918 

22,061 

1913 

1919 

12,965 

1914 

Totals 

1915 

30.167 

$145,657 

JKatz,  F.  J.,  Feldspar  In  1916:  U.   S.  Geol.   Surv..  Min.   Res.   of  U.  S„   1916,  Part  II,  p.   175,   1917, 


STATISTICS   OP   ANNUAL  PRODUCTION.  Ill 

FLUORSPAR. 
Bibliography:     Bulletin  67. 

Fluorspar  is  used  as  a  flux  in  steel  and  iron  smelting,  and  in  the  pro- 
duction of  aluminum.  It  is  also  utilized  in  the  manufacture  of  hydro- 
fluoric acid,  glass,  porcelain,  enamels  and  sanitary  ware. 

'"The  market  for  the  bulk  of  the  fluorspar  sold  In  the  United  States  depends  on 
the  steel  industry  and  the  demand  fluctuates  with  the  rise  and  fall  in  the  production 
of  steel.  Gravel  spar  is  consumed  as  a  flux  in  basic  open-hearth  steel  furnaces  and 
to  a  smaller  extent  in  other  metallurgical  operations.  In  both  1914  and  1915  the 
sales  of  gravel  spar  constituted  between  83  and  84  per  cent  of  the  total  marketed 
output  of  domestic  fluorspar,  and  in  1916  it  was  nearly  86  per  cent.  Fluorspar  is 
used  also  as  a  flux  in  iron  blast  furnaces,  iron  foundries,  and  in  gold,  silver,  copper, 
and  lead  smelters;  in  the  manufacture  of  fluorides  of  iron  and  manganese  for  steel 
fluxing  and  of  sodium  fluoride  for  wood  preservation^ ;  in  the  manufacture  of  glass, 
enameled,  and  sanitary  ware,  and  of  hydrofluoric  acid ;  in  the  electrolytic  refining  of 
antimony  and  lead ;  and  in  the  production  of  aluminum.  Other  miscellaneous  uses 
of  fluorspar  that  have  been  reported  are  as  a  bonding  for  constituents  of  emery  wheels, 
for  carbon  electrodes,  in  the  extraction  of  potash  from  feldspar,  and  in  the  recovery 
of  potash  in  Portland  cement  manufacture.  The  last  use  depends  on  the  suitability 
of  calcium  fluoride  as  a  reagent  for  increasing  the  volatilization  of  potassium  salts 
from  the  clinker  and  the  regeneration  of  the  reagent  from  the  dust  collected.*" 

In  California,  deposits  have  been  reported  in  Los  Angeles,  Mono, 
Riverside,  and  San  Bernardino  counties,  but  up  to  1917  no  commer- 
cial production  had  resulted.  As  the  1917-1918  output  came  from  a 
single  operator  in  Riverside  County,  the  amount  and  value  were  con- 
cealed under  the  Unapportioned  item.  There  was  none  shipped  in  1919. 
Production  has  been  started  this  year  (1920)  at  the  King  mine  near 
Afton  in  San  Bernardino  County,  on  what  promises  to  become  an 
important  source,  commercially,  of  this  mineral.  Analyses  reported 
show  an  average  of  over  90%  calcium  fluoride  (CaFg). 

FULLER'S  EARTH. 
Bihliography:  Bulletin  38.     U.  S.  Bureau  of  Mines,  Bulletin  71. 

Fuller's  earth  production  in  California  during  the  year  1919 
amounted  to  385  tons,  valued  at  $3,810,  as  compared  with  37  tons 
valued  at  $333  in  1918. 

This  material  is  soft  and  friable,  and,  in  general,  resembles  a  clay, 
but  is  non-plastic.  It  has  no  definite  mineralogical  composition  and 
its  commercial  value  is  determined  by  its  physical  properties,  i.  e., 
texture,  and  filtering  and  absorbent  properties. 

*"The  Shipping  Board's  inquiries  also  brought  out  the  interesting  information  that 
only  domestic  fuller's  earth  is  used  for  the  refining  of  mineral  oils.  There  appears, 
on  the  other  hand,  to  be  a  difference  of  opinion  as  to  the  suitability  of  the  domestic 
earth  for  use  in  refining  edible  oils.  Some  of  the  larger  users  of  fuller's  earth, 
anticipating  a  shortage  of  imported  materal,  began  early  in  the  war  to  experiment 
with  domestic  earths  in  refining  edible  oils  and  fats,  with  results  so  satisfactory  that 
they  became  independent  of  imported  earth.  Others  stated  that  they  had  experimented 
with  every  known  domestic  earth,   but  had  not  found  one   that  completely  met  the 

iBurchard,  E.  F..  Fluorspar  and  cryolite  in  1916:  U.  S.  Geol.  Surv..  Min.  Res.  of  U.  S,.  1916.  Part  II. 
p.   315.    1917. 

sTeesdale.  C.  H..  Use  of  fluorides  in  wood  preservation:  Wood  Preserring.  voL  3.  No.  4;  toL  4.  No.  1. 
(Reprint.    9   pp.) 

»Treanor,  Jolin.  Potash  from  cement  at  the  Riverside  Portland  Cement  Co.:  Met.  and  Chem.  Eng., 
Juno    15.    19ir.    pp.    701-703.  „,„     ^ 

<Middleton.  Jefferson,  Fuller's  Earth  in  191S:  U.  S  Geol.  Surv.,  Min.  Res,  of  U.  S..  1918,  Part  II. 
p.   136.    1919. 


112 


MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 


requirements  to  supplant  the  imported  eartli.  The  requirements,  of  a  good  earth  for 
refining  edible  oils  are  (1)  that  it  shall  bleach  well  and  that  the  oil  shall  not  revert 
to  its  original  color;  (2)  that  it  shall  filter  well  and  not  cake  badly;  (3)  that  it  shall 
leave  no  permanent  disagreeable  taste  or  odor;  (4)  that  the  retention  of  oil  in  the 
spent  earth  shall  be  small;  and  (5)  that  there  shall  be  no  spontaneous  ignition  either 
in  the  press  or  in  the  waste  piles.  Those  who  use  the  imported  earth  claim  that  it  is 
standard  in  all  of  these  requirements,  and  that  the  domestic  earth  is  deficient  in  one 
or  more  of  them.  Such  a  defect  as  inability  to  bleach  well  appears  to  be  inherent  in 
some  domestic  earth,  and  can  not  be  remedied  by  treatment.  Other  defects,  such  as 
the  taste  or  odor  left  by  the  earth,  which  is  the  most  frequent  objection  urged  against 
the  domestic  material,  may  possibly  be  overcome  by  treatment.  Another  serious  fault 
charged  against  the  American  earth  is  that  it  retains  a  greater  proportion  of  oil  than 
the  English  earth,  which  means  a  direct  loss  in  production  ;  also  that  it  clogs  the  filter 
presses  more,  so  that  they  require  more  frequent  cleaning,  which  causes  further 
decrease  in  production.  It  is  also  charged  that  domestic  earth  is  more  subject  .to 
spontaneous  combustion." 

In  California,  fuller 's  earth  is  used  in  clarifying  both  refined  mineral 
and  vegetable  oils,  although  its  original  use  was  in  fulling  wool,  as 
the  name  indicates.  Some  of  the  1919  product  was  used  for  special 
chemical  purposes.  Production  has  mainly  come  from  Calaveras  and 
Solano  counties.  Deposits  have  also  been  found  in  Riverside,  Fresno 
and  Kern  counties.  The  1919  output  was  from  Kern,  Riverside  and 
Solano. 

It  was  first  produced  commercially  in  this  state  in  1899,  and  the 
total  amount  and  value  of  the  output  since  that  time  are  as  follows : 


Tear 

Tons 

Value 

Tear 

Tons 

Value 

1899 

620 
50O 

1,000 
987 
250 
500 

1.344 
440 
100 
50 
459 
340 

$12,400 

3.750 

19,500 

19.246 

4,750 

9,500 

38,000 

10,500 

1,000 

1,000 

7.385 

3.820 

1911  

466 
876 
460 
760 
692 
110 
220 
37 
385 

$5,294 

1900 

1912    

6,500 

1901 

1913       

3,700 

1902    _ 

1914 

5.928 

1903 

1915       «                _    ..> 

4,002 

1904 

1916                     -      - 

550 

1905    - 

1917 

2,180 

1906       -  ., 

1918 

333 

1907     

1919 

3,810 

1908 

Totals 

1909 

10,596 

$163,148 

1910 

GEMS. 

Bibliography :  State  Mineralogist  Reports  II,  XIV,  XV. 
37,  67. 


Bulletins 


Accounting  for  the  production  of  gems  in  California  is  somewhat 
unsatisfactory,  owing  to  the  widely  scattered  places  at  which  stones  are 
gathered  and  marketed  in  a  very  small  way.  The  following  table  shows 
the  production,  by  counties,  of  rough  uncut  materials  during  1919 : 


County 

Butte 

Los  Angeles  

San  Bernardino 

San  Diego    


Value 


''$5,425- 


Kliid 

Diamonds. 

Beach  stones  (jasper  and  chalcedony). 

Bloodstone,    blue    chalcedony    and    my- 

rickite. 
Tourmaline. 


♦Combined  to  conceal  output  of  a  single  operator  in  each. 


STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAL   PRODUCTION. 


113 


The  yield  has  been  small  for  several  years  past.  California  tour- 
malines are  decidedly  distinctive  in  coloring  and  'fire'  as  compared 
to  foreign  stones  of  this  classification.  The  colors  range  from  deep 
ruby  to  pink,  and  various  shades  of  green;  also  more  recently  a  blue 
tourmaline  has  been  found. 

Two  of  our  California  gem  stones,  kunzite  and  benitoite,  are  not 
found  elsewhere;  and  these,  each  in  but  a  single  locality  here:  the 
former  in  the  Pala  Chief  Mine  in  San  Diego  County,  and  the  latter 
in  the  Dallas  Mine  in  San  Benito  County. 

Californite,  or  'California  jade,'  is  a  gem  variety  of  vesuvianite, 
and  is  green  or  white  in  color. 

Some  rhodonite  has  been  mined  in  Siskiyou  County,  and  used  for 
decorative  purposes,  its  value  being  included  in  the  marble  figures. 

Diamonds  have  been  found  in  a  number  of  localities  in  California; 
but  in  every  case,  they  have  been  obtained  in  stream  gravels  while 
working  them  for  gold.  The  principal  districts  have  been :  Volcano  in 
Amador  County;  Placerville,  Smith's  Flat  and  others  in  El  Dorado 
County;  French  Corral,  Nevada  County;  Cherokee  Flat  and  Yankee 
Hill,  Butte  County;  Gopher  Hill  and  upper  Spanish  Creek,  Plumas 
County.  The  most  productive  district  of  recent  years  has  been  Chero- 
kee in  Butte  County. 

Chrysoprase  has  been  produced  in  Tulare  County. 

The  value  of  the  total  gem  production  in  California  annually  since 
the  beginning  of  commercial  production  is  as  follows: 


Tear 

Value 

Tear 

Value 

I9OO        .          -                 _ 

$20,500 
40.000 
162.100 
.    110.500 
136,000 
148,500 
497,090 
232,642 
208,950 
193,700 
237,475 

1911                

$51,824 

1901 

1912     

23.050 

iro2 

1913     

13.740 

1903 

1914      , 

3,970 

lf04               .                       _  _    _. 

1915 

3,565 

1905      _           _                       

1916  __„ 

4.752 

1906  „        __          _  _          

1917  - 

3  019 

r907 _  -          _        

1918  

650 

,908 _-  -  _        

1919   

5,425 

909 

'^otal       _- 

1910 

$2,097,41^2 

GRAPHITE. 

Bihliography:  State  Mineralogist  Reports  XTII,  XIV,  XV. 
letin  67.     U.  S.  G.  S.,  Min.  Res.,  1914,  Pt.  II. 


Bui- 


Graphite  has  been  produced  from  time  to  time  in  the  state,  coming 
principally  from  Sonoma  and  Los  Angeles  counties.  It  is  difficult  for 
these  deposits,  which  are  not  hight  grade,  to  compete  with  foreign  sup- 
plies which  go  on  the  market  almost  directly  as  they  come  from  the 

8-4598 


114  MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

deposit.  Low-grade  ores  are  concentrated  with  considerable  difficulty 
and  the  electric  process  of  manufacturing  artificial  graphite  from  coal 
has  been  perfected  to  such  a  degree  that  only  deposits  of  natural 
graphite  of  a  superior  quality  can  be  exploited  with  any  certainty  of 
success. 

According  to  a  recent  report  by  the  U.  S.  Geological  Survey,  ''at 
present  prices,  miners  in  this  country  who  are  working  disseminated 
flake  deposits  must  depend  on  their  No.  1  and  2  flake  for  their  profit. 
Graphite  dust  is  merely  a  by-product  and  is  salable  only  at  a  low  price. 
Improved  methods  of  graphite  milling,  adopted  *  *  *  promise  to 
increase  largely  the  production  of  flake  of  better  grade." 

On  account  of  its  in  fusibility  and  resistance  to  the  action  of  molten 
metals,  graphite  is  very  valuable.  It  is  also  largely  used  in  the  manu- 
facture of  electrical  appliances,  of  'lead'  pencils,  as  a  lubricant,  as 
stove  polish,  paints,  and  in  many  other  ways.  Amorphous  graphite, 
commonly  carrying  many  impurities,  brings  a  much  lower  price.  For 
some  purposes,  such  as  foundry  facings,  etc.,  the  low-grade  material 
is  satisfactory.  The  price  increases  with  the  grade  of  the  material  until 
the  best  quality  crystalline  variety  ordinarily  ranges  as  high  as  $200 
per  ton.  Because  of  the  increased  demand  during  the  war  period  for 
brass  and  crucible  steel,  the  requirement  for  graphite  crucibles  grew 
rapidly,  thus  boosting  the  price  of  flake  graphite  to  above  $400  per  ton 
for  Ceylon  lumps.  The  coarser  flakes  are  necessary  for  crucibles,  as 
they  help  to  bind  the  clay  together  in  addition  to  their  refractory 
service.  Since  the  clos^  of  hostilities  in  Europe,  prices  have  declined 
to  nearly  the  pre-war  level ;  and  imports  are  being  resumed  from  Ceylon, 
Canada  and  Madagascar. 

Among  the  newer  uses  for  graphite  is  the  prevention  of  formation 
of  scale  in  boilers.  The  action  is  a  mechanical  one.  Being  soft  and 
slippery,  the  graphite  prevents  the  particles  of  scale  from  adhering  to 
one  another  or  to  the  boiler  and  they  are  thus  easily  removed. 

Occurrence  of  graphite  has  been  reported  at  various  times  from 
Calaveras,  Fresno,  Imperial,  Los  Angeles,  Mendocino,  San  Bernardino, 
San  Diego,  Siskiyou,  Sonoma  and  Tuolumne  counties. 

During  1919  a  greatly  increased  production  was  reported  from 
Los  Angeles  County.  It  was  concentrated  from  a  disseminated  ore, 
and  was  used  for  paint,  foundry  facing,  and  lubricants.     As  there  was 


I 


STATISTICS   OP   ANNUAL   PRODUCTION. 


115 


c 
o  d 

CO. 
0)  c 


-Z-  0) 

II 

U 


116 


MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 


but   a  single   operator,   the   figures   are   concealed  under   the   'Unap- 
portioned'  item.     The  production,  by  years,  has  been  as  follows: 


Year 

Pounds 

Value 

1901  _ __ _. ._„ 

128,000 
84,000 

$4,480 
1.680 

1902 _ ___ „_ 

1908  

1913  .-_ __    __    __ 

2.500 

25 

1914  

1915   

1916 

29.190 
* 
* 

* 

2.335 

1917 

1918 

* 

1919   

* 

Totals    

243,690 

$8,520 

♦Concealed  under  'Unapportioned,*  on  account  of  a  single  producer. 


GYPSUM. 

Bibliography:  Reports  XIV,  XV.     Bulletins  38, 


67. 


Gypsum  is  widely  distributed  throughout  the  state,  and  is  produced 
to  a  considerable  extent,  to  supply  the  fertilizer  manufacturers  and 
also  those  of  plaster  and  cement. 

The  action  of  gypsum  as  a  fertilizer  is  indirect^ ;  it  is  not  a  food  for 
plants,  but  it  is  supposed  to  act  on  the  double  silicate  of  magnesia  and 
potash  in  the  soil,  freeing  the  magnesia  and  potash,  so  that  they  become 
available  as  plant  food.  Its  use  is  believed  to  be  beneficial  only  if 
these  elements  are  present  in  the  soil,  and  its  application  to  some  soils 
would  therefore  be  of  no  advantage. 

Some  authorities  hold  that  land  plaster  tends  to  make  nonporous 
clay  soils  more  pervious  to  water  and  to  make  sandy  soils  less  pervious. 
Ground  gypsum  has  an  affinity  for  water  and  will  draw  moisture  from 
the  atmosphere,  so  it  keeps  moisture  in  the  soil  and  is  of  value  to  the 
farmer  who  is  starting  grain  and  grass  crops,  as  it  holds  moisture 
where  the  roots  of  the  small  plants  most  need  it.  The  use  of  ground 
gypsum  or  land  plaster  in  a  dry,  hot  season  may  draw  enough  moisture 
from  the  atmosphere  to  save  a  crop  from  damage  by  drought.  Land 
plaster  is  employed  to  neutralize  the  black  alkali  that  forms  in  many 
of  the  soils  of  arid  regions,  as  in  parts  of  California,  Nevada  and  Utah. 

Land  plaster  may  be  applied  to  the  soil  by  drilling,  or  scattered  in  the 
hill,  or  it  may  be  sowed  broadcast,  in  quantities  ranging  from  200  to 
500  pounds  to  the  acre. 


'U.  S.  G.   S.   Press  Bulletin  No.  374.  July.  1918,  p.  4. 


STATISTICS   OP  ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


117 


In  the  calcined  form  as  plaster  of  Paris,  gypsum  plays  a  very 
important  part  in  surgical  work.  It  is  also  widely  used  in  building 
operations,  as  a  hard-wall  plaster,  as  plaster  board,  etc. 

During  1919,  producers  in  Riverside  and  San  Bernardino  counties 
took  out  a  total  of  19,813?  tons,  valued  at  $50,579,  being  an  increase 
from  the  19,695  tons,  valued  at  $37,176  in  1918. 

Total  annual  production  of  gypsum  in  California  since  such  records 
have  been  compiled  by  this  Bureau  is  as  follows: 


Tear 

1 

1   Tons 

Value 

Year 

Tons 

Value 

1887 

1888 

i    2,700 

\        2,500 

!    3,000 

!    3,000 

1    2,000 

!    2,000 

i    1,620 

1    2,446 

!    5,158 

i    1,310 

2,200 

i    3,100 

$27,000 
25,000 
30,000 
30,000 
20,000 
20,000 
14,280 
24,584 
51.014 
12,580 
19,250 
23,600 
14,950 
10,088 
38,750 
53,500 
46,441 
56,592 

1905 

1906 _ 

12,859 
21,000 
8,900 
34,600 
30,700 
45.294 
31,457 
37.529 
47,100 
29.734 
20,200 
33,384 
30.825 
19.695 
19.813 

$54,500 
69,000 

1889 

1907 

57,700 

1890 

1908 

155,400 

1891 

1909 

138,176 

1892 

1910 

129,152 

1893 

1911 - 

101,475 

1894 

1895 

•   1896  

■   1897  

1898 

1912 

1913 

1914 

1915 

1916 

1917   - 

117,388 

135,050 

78,375 

48,953 

59,533 

^  1899 

^  1900  

'  1901  

1902 

1903 

;   1904 

'    3,663 

2,522 

■    3,875 

i   10,200 

6,914 

;   8,350 

1 

56,840 

1918   

37,176 

1919 

50,579 

Totals   -  -_ 

489,639 

$1,806,926 

INFUSORIAL  and  DIATOMACEOUS  EARTHS. 

Bihliography :  State  Mineralogist  Reports  II,  XI F,  XIII,  XIV,  XV. 

Bulletins  38,  67. 

Infusorial  and  diatomaceous  earths — sometimes  called  tripolite — are 
very  light  and  extremely  porous,  chalk-like  materials  composed  of  pure 
silica  (chalk,  being  calcareous)  which  have  been  laid  down  under  water 
and  consist  of  the  remains  of  microscopical  infusoria  and  diatoms.  The 
former  are  animal  remains,  and  the  latter  are  from  plants.  The  prin- 
cipal commercial  use  of  this  material  is  as  an  absorbent;  and  it  is  also 
employed  in  the  manufacture  of  scouring  soap  and  polishing  powders, 
and  in  making  some  classes  of  refractory  brick.  It  is  a  first-class 
non-conductor  of  heat,  where  high  temperatures  are  employed,  such 
as  around  steel  and  gas  plants  and  power  houses.  In  such  cases,  it  is 
built  in  as  an  insulating  layer  in  furnace  walls.  In  Germany,  under 
the  name  'kieselguhr,'  it  was  used  as  an  absorbent  for  nitroglycerine 

iin  the  early  manufacture  of  dynamite. 
As  a  nonconductor  of  heat  it  has  been  used  alone  or  with  other 
materials  as  a  covering  for  boilers,  steam  pipes,  and  safes  and  in  fire- 
— 


118 


MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF    CALIFORNIA. 


tiller.  Boiled  with  shellac  it  is  made  into  records  for  talking  machines. 
It  has  been  used  for  absorbing  liquid  manures  so  that  they  could  be 
utilized  as  fertilizers,  and  as  a  source  of  silica  in  making  water-glass 
as  well  as  in  the  manufacture  of  cement,  tile  glazing,  artificial  stone, 
ultra-marine  and  other  pigments  of  aniline  and  alizarine  colors,  paper 
filling,  sealing  wax,  fireworks,  hard-rubber  objects,  matches,  and  papier- 
mache,  and  for  solidifying  bromine. 

The  most  important  deposits  in  California  thus  far  known  are  located 
in  Monterey,  Orange,  San  Luis. Obispo,  and  Santa  Barbara  counties. 
The  Santa  Barbara  material  is  diatomaceous  and  is  of  a  superior  qual- 
ity. Infusorial  earth  is  also  found  in  Fresno,  Kern,  Los  Angeles, 
Plumas,  San  Benito,  San  Bernardino,  San  Joaquin,  Shasta,  Sonoma, 
and  Tehama  counties. 

During  1919,  three  quarries  operating  in  Monterey  and  Santa  Bar- 
bara counties,  produced  a  total  of  40,200  tons,  valued  at  $217, 800^  which 
is  a  material  increase  over  the  35,963  tons,  valued  at  $189,459  in  1918. 

The  first  recorded  production  of  these  materials  in  California  occurred 
in  1889 ;  total  amount  and  value  of  output,  to  date,  are  as  follows : 


Year 

Tons 

Value 

Year 

Tons 

Value 

1889 

39 

$1,335 

leoB 

2,430 

2,531 

2,950 

500 

1,843 

2,194 

4,129 

8,645 

12,840 

12,400 

15,322 

24,301 

35.963 

40,200 

$14,400 

1890    

1907       _  -      -    

28,948 

1891 



1908    .     - 

32,012 

1892    ____ _ _ 

1909       .  -  -  1 

3,500 

1893 ' 

50 
51 

2,000 
2,040 

1910 

17,617 

1894 

1911 

1912           _      

19,670 

1895 

17,074 

1896 

1913 

35,968 

1897 

5 

200 

1914    _      _  _    

80,350 

1898 

1915 

62,000 

1899 

1916       -             _    „ 

80,649 

1900 

1917       .                 

127,510 

1901 

1918                     _      __ 

189,459 

1902 __.. 

422 
2.703 
6,950 
3,000 

2,532 

16,015 

112,282 

15,000 

1919 

217,8rO 

1903 

Totals 

1904 

179.468 

.«1, 078, 361 

1905 

LIMESTONE. 

Bibliography:  State  Mineralogist  Keports  IV,  XII,   XIII,  XIV, 
XV.     Bulletin  38.     Oregon  Agr.  College  Extension  Bulletin  305. 

Limestone  was  produced  in  11  counties  during  1919,  to  the  amount 
of  88,291  tons,  valued  at  $248,145.  The  very  considerable  decrease 
from  208,566  tons,  valued  at  $456,258  in  1918,  is  due  in  part  to  the 
shutdown  of  the  Shasta  County  copper  smelters,  which  use  large  ton- 
nages of  limestone  as  flux.     There  were  also  notable  decreases  in  El 


STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAL   PRODUCTION. 


119 


Dorado  and  Kern  counties.  This  amount  does  not  include  the  lime- 
stone used  in  the  manufacture  of  cement  nor  of  lime  for  building 
purposes,  but  accounts  for  that  utilized  as  a  smelter  flux,  for  glass 
and  sugar  making,  and  in  other  chemical  and  manufacturing  processes 
(including  fertilizers,  roofiing  preparations,  whiting  for  paint,  terrazzo, 
chicken  grit,  and  for  COo). 

In  agriculture,  the  chief  reason  for  the  use  of  lime  is  now  recognized 
to  be  that  of  correcting  soil  acidity.     Lime  is  stated  to  be  especially 


Limestone  nuarrv  with  crushing'  and  scieening  plant  of  \Y 
Cruz,   Santa  Cruz  County. 


A.  Caplatzi,  at  Santa 


necessary  for  the  proper  development  of  the  bacteria  in  the  nodules  on 
the  roots  of  the  legumes  such  as  the  clovers  and  alfalfa.  It  will  also 
combine  with  some  of  the  plant  feed  materials  already  in  the  soil  to 
make  them  more  readily  available,  and  will  supply  any  lack  of  calcium 
as  a  plant  food  that  may  exist  in  the  soil.  To  some  extent,  certain 
forms  of  lime  will  make  heavy  soils  more  friable,  thus  aiding  aeration, 
cultivation  and  drainage.  It  may  be  applied,  ground,  in  either  the 
burned  or  unburned  form,  or  as  hydrated  lime. 


120  MINERAL  INDUSTRY  OP  CALIFORNIA. 

Distribution  of  the  1919  output  is  as  follows: 


County 

Tons 

Value 

El  Dorado 

41,025 
2.360 
5.527 

10,347 

29,032 

$112,423 

Inyo _ _  _ 

12,000 

Santa   Cruz    _.  

12,090 

Tulare    

46,888 

Kern,  Plumas,  Santa  Barbara,  Santa  Clara, ^  Shasta,  Sis- 
kiyou, Tuolumne* .  _      ________ 

64,644 

Totals    _    __ 

88,291 

$248,145 

iClam-shell  marl  used  for  fertilizer. 

^Combined  to  conceal  output  of  a  single  operator  in  each. 

Hauling  'whiting'   (calcium  carbonate)  from  White  Boy  Claim  of  Seipp  and  Merwin, 
on  edge  of  Death  Valley,  Inyo  County,  California.     Photo  by  S.  R.  Merwin. 

In  the  early  reports  of  this  Bureau  values  for  lime  aud  limestone 
were  not  segregated.     The  following  tabulation  shows  the  total  com- 


STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAL   PRODUCTION. 


121 


bined  value  of  such  material  since  records  for  the  state  were  first 
compiled,  in  1887,  to  date : 


Year 

Value 

Year 

Valu,  > 

1887    

$368,750 
381,750 
416,780 
350,000 
300.000 
800,000 
301,276 
337,975 
457.784 
332,617 
291,465 
278,558 
343,760 
315,231 
434.133 
460.140 
582.268 
658.956 

1905  _.  

$878,647 

1888            ... 

1906 

925,887 

1889 

1907 

1 162  417 

1890  

1908 

676,507 

1891  

1909  

997,745 

1892   

1910    

1,058,891 

1893  

1911 

843,778 

1894    .    

1912 

1,034,688 

1895  _-_ _ 

1913  

803,002 

1896 _ 

1914  — : 

896,376 

1897  _ 

1915        

442.592 

1898  

1916 

608.208 

1899  

1917 — — 

667.776 

1900  

1918 „ 

917,573 

1901  

1919  - 

800,188 

1902 

Total  -   

1903  - 

$19,625,718 

ieo4  

Bibliography 
38,  67. 


LITHIA. 
State  Mineralogist  Reports  II,  IV,  XIV.     Bulletins 


Lithia  mica,  lepidolite  (a  silicate  of  lithium  et  al.)  utilized  in  the 
manufacture  of  artificial  mineral  water,  fireworks,  glass,  etc.,  has  been 
mined  in  San  Diego  County  since  1899,  except  between  1905  and 
1915.  Some  amblygonite,  a  lithium  phosphate,  has  also  been  obtained 
from  pockets  associated  with  the  gem  tourmalines.  In  1919,  the  yield 
of  lepidolite  was  800  tons,  valued  at  $14,400,  and  was  utilized  in  glass 
manufacture. 

Lithia  mica  total  production  in  the  state  has  been  as  follows: 


Te«r 

Tons 

Value 

Year 

Tons 

Value 

1899 

124 
440 
1,100 
822 
700 
641 
25 

$4,600 
11.000 
27,500 
31.880 
27.300 
25.000 
276 

1915  — 

1916  

91 

71 

880 

4,111 

800 

$1,365 

1900 

1.065 

1901 .,- 

1917 

8,800 

1902 

1918  _- 

73,998 

1903 

1919 

14.400 

mfu 

Totals  _— — 

1905 

5,805 

$227,184 

1906 

122  MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OB^   CALIFORNIA. 

MICA. 

Bibliography :  State  Mineralogist  Reports  II,  IV.     Bulletins  38,  67. 

*No  -commercial  production  of  mica  has  recently  been  reported  in 
California.     Production  in  previous  years  has  been  as  follows : 


Tear 

Tons 

Value 

1902  _. _ _- , _ 

50 
50 
50 

$2,500 

i9oa  - ^ 

3,800 

1904  _._ - — 

3,000 

Totals   

150 

$9,300 

;,-  •;i"The  different  uses- to  which  mica  is  put  depend  on  its  form — whether  in  sheets  or 
ki  po"^der.  Sheet  mica  is  used  in  the  electrical  industry,  for  glazing,  and  to  some 
extent  for  other  purposes.  Ground  mica  is  used  chiefly  in  the  decorative  trades  and 
in  insulation. 

■'Sheet  mica  finds  its  greatest  use  in  the  electrical  industry,  where  an  insulating, 
noninflammable  material  is  necessary.  It  is  jised  in  sheets  and  as  washers  and  disks 
in  dynamo-electric  machinery,  electric-light  sockets,  spark  plugs,  insulators,  guards 
in  rheostats,  fuse  boxes,  and  telephones.  Flexible  cloth  and  tape,  covered  with  mica, 
find  varied  uses  in  electrical  apparatus.  Sheet  mica  is  used  for  glazing  the  fronts 
of  stoves  and  for  making  lamp  chimneys  and  lamp  shades.  It  is  also  used  in  spec- 
tacles, automobile  shields,  phonograph  diaphragms,  in.  windows  where  glass  would 
be  broken,  and  in  lantern  transparencies. 

"Ground  mica  is  used  for  decoration  in  wall  paper,  to  which  it  gives  luster  and 
brightness ;  in  fancy  paints,  ornamental  tiles,  concrete,  rubber  goods,  pipe  and  boiler 
coverings,  insulating  compounds,  fireproof  paints  and  coverings,  patent  roofing  mate- 
rial, molded  mica  (ground  mica  mixed  with  shellac),  and  calico  printing;  as  absorbent 
for  nitroglycerin  in  the  manufacture  of  *mica  powder,'  in  tempering  steel ;  to  a  large 
extent  as  a  lubricant  for  wooden  bearings,  or,  mixed  with  oil,  as  a  lubricant  for  metal 
bearings ;  and  as  a  filler  for  various  products.  Tar  and  other  roofing  papers  are 
coated  with  coarsely  ground  mica  to  prevent  sticking  when  they  are  rolled  for  ship- 
ment. A  possible  value  of  ground  mica  as  a  chemical  source  of  potash  salts  is  indi- 
cated in  a  recent  Geological  Survey  report.* 

"It  is  understood  that  sheet  mica  has  come  to  be  of  importance  as  a  war  mineral 
through  its  use  abroad  as  windows  in  masks  worn  for  defense  against  asphyxiating 
gases,  and  for  other  uses  where  a  transparent,  noninflammable,  nonshattering  mate- 
rial is  necessary,  as  in  automobile  goggles  and  in  windows  for  armored  cars." 


MINERAL  PAINT. 

Bibliography:  State  Mineralogist  Reports  X\i,  XIII,  XIV,  XV. 
Bulletin  38. 

Mineral  paint  was  produced  in  California  in  1919  from  Colusa 
and  Stanislaus  counties,  amounting  to  1,780  tons,  valued  at  $17,055. 
This  is  an  increase  from  the  tonnage  and  value  of  1918.  There  were 
four  producers  in  Stanislaus  County  and  one  in  Colusa.  The  material 
from  Colusa  is  siliceous  hematite,  and  that  from  Stanislaus,  yellow 
ochre.  The  Calaveras  and  Stanislaus  yellow  ochre  is  the  equal  of  any 
of  the  imported  ochres. 

Besides  the  above-named  counties,  deposits  of  mineral  paint  are 
located  in  the  following:  Kern,  Kings,  Lake,  Los  Angeles,  Nevada, 
Riverside,  and  Sonoma. 


'Schaller,   W.   T..    Mloa    in   1916:  U.    S.    Geol.   Surv.,    Min.    Res.   of  U.    S.,    1916,   p.    304,    1917. 
'Butler,    B.    S..    Potash    In   certain   copper  and   gold   ores,    with  a   note   on   muscovlte   by   George   Stelger: 
r.   S.   Geol.    Survey   Bull.    G20,   pp.    227-235,    1916. 


STATISTICS   OP   ANNUAL   PRODUCTION. 


123 


The  first  recorded  production  of  this  material  in  the  state  was  in  the 
year  1890.  The  output  showing  annual  amount  and  value,  since  that 
time,  is  given  herewith : 


Tear 

Tons 

Value 

Year 

Tons 

1 . 

Value 

1890  _ 

40 

22 

25 

590 

610 

750 

395 

578 

653 

1,704 

529 

325 

589 

2.370 

270 

754 

$480 

880 

750 

26,795 

14,140 

8,425 

5,540 

8,165 

9,698 

20,294 

3,993 

875 

1.533 

3,720 

1.985 

4,025 

1906 

250 
250 
335 
305 
200 
186 
300 
303 
132 
311 
643 
520 
728 
1,780 

$1,720 

1891 

1  1907  __ 

^  1908  ___ 

1,720 
2,250 

1892 

1893  — 

1909 _ 

2.325 

1894   

1910 

2,040 
1184 

1895     

1  1911 

1896 

1897 

11912 

1913  — 

1,800 

1,780 

847 

1.756 

1898 -— 

1899  

1914  .„ . 

|1915 

1900  

i  1916 .._„. 

3.960 

1901   _  "       

•  1917 

2,700 

1902 

1  1918 

4,738 

1903 

1919  -  -     -  

17,055 

1904 

i    Totals  

1905 .— 

i  16,447 

$150,173 

t 


'Bartlett'  spring,  at  Bartlett  Springs,  Lake  County,  California. 


124 


MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 


MINERAL  WATER. 

Bibliography:  State  Mineralogist  Reports  VI,  XII,  XIII,   XIV, 

XV.     U.  S.  G.  S.,  Water   Supply  Paper   338. 

A  widespread  production  of  mineral  water  is  shown  annually  in 
California.  These  figures  refer  to  mineral  water  actually  bottled  for 
sale,  or  for  local  consumption.  Water  from  some  of  the  springs  having 
a  special  medicinal  value  brings  a  price  many  times  higher  than  the 
average  shown,  while  in  some  cases  the  water  is  used  merely  for  drink- 
ing purposes  and  sells  for  a  nominal  figure.  Health  and  pleasure 
resorts  are  located  at  many  of  the  springs.  The  waters  of  some  of  the 
hot  springs  are  not  suitable  for  drinking,  but  are  very  efficacious  for 
bathing.  From  a  therapeutic  standpoint,  California  is  particularly  rich 
in  mineral  springs.  The  counterparts  of  practically  any  of  the  world- 
famed  spas  of  Europe  or  the  eastern  United  States  can  be  found  here. 

An  interesting,  recent  development  is  the  obtaining  of  'geyser' 
w^ells  at  Calistoga,  in  Napa  County,  by  drilling  into  the  thermal-water 
strata  underlying  that  part  of  the  Napa  Valley.  There  are  at  least 
four  wells  so  erupting.  They  spout  in  true  geyser  fashion,  and  their 
periods  vary  from  10  minutes  to  2  hours,  each  following  its  own 
schedule  rather  closely. 

It  is  hoped  that  the  State  Mining  Bureau  will  be  able  in  the  near 
future  to  make  some  systematic  tests  as  to  the  radio-activity  of  the 
thermal  waters  of  the  hot  springs  of  California.  Some  preliminary 
qualitative  tests  have  been  made  by  the  writer  at  The  Geysers  in 
Sonoma  County,  and  positive  reactions  obtained;  also,  r-adio-activity 
has  been  proven  at  Arrowhead  Hot  Springs  in  San  Bernardino  County, 
by  Prof.  Gilbert  E.  Bailey  of  the  University  of  Southern  California. 

Commercial  production  by  counties,  for  1919,  was: 


County 

Gallons 

Value 

T^utte  _- 

6,532 

4,384 

62,839 

125,400 

76,860 

800,060 

82,  M  7 

451,500 

96,800 

527,320 

$2,388 

Calaveras       _  _    _  ___    _    .. 

1,034 

Lake 

17,471 

T/Os  Angeles 

8,787 

Napa 

60,395 

San  Bernardino ___ 

32,006 

Santa  Barbara  

81,041 

Siskiyou   

90,375 

Sonoma 

22,820 

Contra  Costa,  Humboldt, 
San  Diego,  Santa  Clara 

Marin, 
Shasta 

Riverside 
,  Solano, 

,  San  Benito, 
Trinity* 

23,800 

Totals    

2,233,842 

$340,117 



^Combined  to  conceal  output  of  a  single  ojwrator  in  each. 


STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAL   PRODUCTION. 


125 


Amount  and  value  of  mineral  water  produced  in  California  since 
1887  are  given  herewith: 


Tear 

Oalloni 

Value 

Tear 

Oalloiu 

YaltM 

1887  __ 

618.162 

1,112,202 

808,625 

258,722 

334,553 

331,875 

383,179 

402,275 

701,397 

808.843 

1,508,192 

1,429.809 

1,.338.537 

2.456.115 

1.555.328 

1,701.142 

2.056.340 

2,430,320 

$144,368 
252.990 
252.241 

89.786 
139.959 
162,019 

90,667 
184,481 
291,500 
337,434 
345.863 
213.817 
406.691 
268.607 
559.057 
612.477 
558.201 
496,946 

1905  _- 

2,194,150 
1,585.690 
2,924.269 
2.789.715 
2.449.834 
2,335,259 
2,637,669 
2.497.794 
2.350.792 
2.443.572 
2.274.267 
2.273,817 
1.942.020 
1.808,791 
2,233,842 

$538,700 

1888 

1906 

478,186 

1889 

1907   

544,016 

1890 

1908 

560,507 

1891 ___ 

1909 

465,488 

1892 

1910  

522,009 

1893   -  ,   - 

1911 

590,654 

1894 

1912 _ 

529,384 

1895 ._ 

1913 

599.748 

1896 

1914   

476,169 

1897 

1915 

467,738 

1898   

1916  -_ __ 

1917    

410 112 

1899 

340,566 

1900 _ 

1918      

375,650 

1901 

1919 

340,117 

1Q02 

Totals  

1903 

54,977,097 

$12,646,148 

1904 

PHOSPHATES. 

Bibliography :  Bulletin  67. 

No  commercial  production  of  phosphates  has  been  recorded  from  Cali- 
fornia, though  occasional  pockets  of  the  lithia  phosphate,  amblygonite, 
Li  (AlF)  PO4,  have  been  found  associated  with  the  gem  tourmaline 
deposits  in  San  Diego  County.  Such  production  has  been  classified 
under  lithia. 


PUMICE   and   VOLCANIC   ASH. 

Bibliography :  State  Mineralogist  Reports  XII,  XIV,  XV. 
letin  38  (see  'Tufa'). 


Bui- 


The  production  of  pumice  and  volcanic  ash  for  the  year  1919 
amounted  to  2,388  tons,  valued  at  $43,657,  and  came  from  Imperial, 
Inyo  and  Siskiyou  counties.  This  is  an  increase  over  the  2,114  tons, 
valued  at  $28,669,  in  1918.  The  material  from  Imperial  and  Siskiyou 
counties  is  the  vesicular,  block  pumice,  these  being  practically  the  only 
localities  in  the  United  States  producing  this  class  of  rock  at  the 
present  time ;  and  is  stated  to  have  found  a  ready  market.  The  Lipari 
Islands,  Italy,  have  in  the  past  been  the  principal  source  of  supply  of 
block  pumice.  This  form  is  used  largely  for  abrasive  purposes ;  and  is 
also  being  utilized  in  fire-brick,  and  as  an  insulating  filler  in  the  walls 
of  refrigerators  and  cold-storage  plants.  It  is  also  being  tried  in 
mcrete.  There  are  other  known  deposits  of  pumice  in  California,  in 
myo,   Madera,    and   Mono   counties.     The   material   from   Humboldt, 


126 


MINERAL    INDUSTRY    OP    CALIFORNIA. 


Inyo  and  Madera  counties  is  the  fine-grained,  volcanic  ash,  or  tuff 
variety.  It  is  employed  in  making  scouring  soaps  and  polishing  pow- 
ders. 

Commercial  production  of  pumice  in  California  was  first  reported  to 
the  State  Mining  Bureau  in  1909,  then  not  again  until  1912,  since 
which  year  there  has  been  a  small  annual  output,  as  indicated  by  the 
following  table : 


Tear 

Tons 

Value 

Year 

Tons 

Value 

1909 

50 

$500 

1916 __ 

1,246 

525 

2,114 

2,388 

$18,092 

1910 

1917 

5,295 
28,669 

1911 

1918 

1912                            >    »_- 

100 

3,590 

50 

380 

2,500 
4,500 
1.000 

6,400 

1919  _..--    _.    __ 

48,657 

1913 

Totals  _  .  - 

1914 

10,443 

- 

$110,613 

1915 

Brand  &  Stevens'  pumice,  Imperial  County.  Thirty-ton  dump  of  pumice,  selected 
for  grinding,  awaiting  sliipment.  Shows  average  size  of  material  obtained.  Photo  by 
Emile  Huguenin. 


PYRITE. 

BihliograpJuj :  Bulletin  38.     Min.  &  Sci.  Press,  Vol.  114,  pp.  825, 
840. 

Pyrite  is  mined  for  use  in  the  manufacture  of  sulphuric  acid,  which 
in  turn  is  used  in  large  quantities  in  the  preparation  of  explosives. 
Experiments  are  being  made  as  to  the  effect  of  sulphur,  sulphuric  acid, 
and  SO2  in  the  correction  and  fertilization  of  alkali  soils.  Two  proper- 
ties each  in  Alameda  and  Shasta  counties  reported  a  total  production 


STATISTICS   OP   ANNUAL   PRODUCTION. 


127 


ill  1919  of  147,024  tons,  valued  at  $540,300,  which  is  an  increase  over 
1918.     The  material  shipped  carried  4:5%  to  48%  S. 

This  does  not  include  the  large  quantities  of  pyrite  which  are  other- 
wise treated  for  their  valuable  metal  contents.  Some  sulphuric  acid  is 
annually  made  as  a  by-product  in  the  course  of  roasting  certain  ton- 
nages of  Mother  Lode  auriferous  concentrates  for  their  precious-metal 
values.  California  has,  available,  supplies  of  sulphide  ores  suitable  for 
the  manufacture  of  sulphuric  acid  far  in  excess  of  the  local  require- 
ments; but  the  excess  acid  if  made  here  is  not  of  sufficient  value  per 
ton  to  pay  the  freight  rates  to  Eastern  markets.  One  of  our  large 
copper  smelters  here  could,  alone,  flood  the  market  with  sulphuric  acid 
from  its  copper  ores  roasted. 

The  total  recorded  pyrite  production  in  California  to  date  is  as 
follows : 


Tear 


Tons 


Value 


1 1  1898 
1899 
1900 
1901 
1902 
1903 

f  1904 
1905 
1906 
1907 
1908 
i       1909 


6,000  1 

$30,000 

5,400 

28,620 

3.642 

21.133 

4.578 

18,429 

17.525 

60,306 

24.311 

94.000 

15,043 

62,992 

15,503  ; 

63,958 

46,689  j 

145,895 

82.270 

251,774 

107,081 

610,335 

457.867 

1.389,802 

1910 

42,621 

1911 

5i225 

1912 

;    69,872 

1913  ._. 

79,000 

1914 

79,267 

1915 

92,462 

1916 

120.525 

1917 

111,325 

1918 

128.329 

1919 

,   147,024 

$179,862 
182.954 
203,470 
218,537 
230.058 
293,148 
372.969 
323.704 
425,012 
540,300 


Totals  1,710,559 


$5,747,c 


Bibliography 
38,  67. 


SILICA— SAND   and  QUARTZ. 
State   Mineralogist   Reports   IX,    XIV.     Bulletins 


We  combine  these  materials,  because  of  the  overlapping  roles  of  vein 
quartz  which  is  mined  for  use  in  glass  making  and  as  an  abrasive,  and 
that  of  silica  sand  which,  although  mainly  utilized  in  glass  manufac- 
ture, also  serves  as  an  abrasive.  Both  varieties  are  also  utilized  to 
some  extent  in  fire-brick  manufacture. 

A  portion  of  the  tonnage  of  vein  quartz  in  California  in  1916  and 
1917  was  employed  in  the  preparation  of  ferro-silicon  by  the  electric 
furnace.  Seme  also  is  utilized  as  a  foundry  flux,  and  for  steel  casting 
moulds.  In  1918-1919,  a  portion  of  the  silica  sold  (both  sand  and 
quartz)  was  used  in  glazes  for  porcelain,  pottery  and  tile ;  and  some  of 
the  sand  for  the  preparation  of  sodium  silicate. 


128 


MINERAL    INDUSTRY    OF    CALIFORNIA. 


The  production  of  silica  in  1919  amounted  to  18,659  tons,  valued  at 
$101,600,  from  eleven  properties  in  Amador,  El  Dorado,  Monterey, 
Riverside  and  San  Diego  counties: 


County 

Tons 

Value 

Amador 

8,440 
3,034 

7,185 

$67,366 

Riverside    

15,112 

El  Dorado,  Monterey,  San  Diego* 

19,122 

Totals    — 

18,659 

$101  600 

♦Combined  to  conceal  output  of  a  single  operator  in  each. 

Of  the  above  total  3,891  tons  were  of  vein  and  boulder  quartz,  and 
14,768  tons,  sand. 

Practically  all  the  glass  sand  produced  in  California  occurs  as  such 
and  needs  no  grinding.  There  are  various  deposits  of  quartz  which 
could  be  utilized  for  glass  making,  but  to  date  there  has  been  only  a 
small  commercial  production  of  this  class  of  material. 

Silica  sand  has  been  produced  in  the  following  counties  of  the  state : 
Alameda,  Amador,  El  Dorado,  Los  Angeles,  Monterey,  Orange,  Placer, 
Riverside,  San  Joaquin,  and  Tulare.  The  chief  producing  centers  have 
been  Amador,  Monterey,  and  Los  Angeles  counties.  The  industry  is 
of  limited  importance,  so  far,  because  of  the  fact  that  much  of  the 
available  material  is  not  of  a  grade  which  will  produce  first-class  color- 
less glass ;  for  such,  it  must  be  essentially  iron-free.  Even  a  fractional 
per  cent  of  iron  imparts  a  green  color  to  the  glass. 

Total  silica  production  in  California  since  the  inception  of  the  indus- 
try, in  1899,  is  shown  below,  being  mainly  sand : 


Tear 

Tons 

Value 

Tear 

Tons 

Value 

1899  .-_ — 

8,000 
2.200 
5.000 
4,500 
7,725 

10,004 
9.257 
9.750 

11.065 
9,255 

12,259 

19.224 

$3,500 

2,200 
16.250 
12.225 

7,525 
12,276 

8,121 
13.875 

8,178 
22.045 
25.517 
18.265 

1911 

8,620 
13,075 
18,618 
28,538 
28.904 
20,880 
19.376 
23.257 
18,659 

$8,672 

1900 

1912      _ 

15,404 

1901 _ 

1913  _-_ 

21.899 

1902 

1914 

22,688 

1903 _. 

1915        

34.322 

1904 ,. 

1905  _„ _ 

1916 

1917 

48.908 
41.166 

1906 

1918 

88,930 

1907  -__ _ 

1919 --. 

101,6(10 

1908 

Totals 

1909 _._ 

283,166 

.$533,066 

1910      --    __    —     .- 

STATISTICS   OP   ANNUAL   PRODUCTION. 


129 


SOAPSTONE  and  TALC. 
Bibliography:  State  Mineralogist  Reports  XII,  XTV,  XV.     Bul- 
letins 38,  67. 

Talc — also  called  soapstone  or  steatite — occurs  widely  distributed 
throughout  California.  It  is  found  as  a  hydration  product  in  the  alter- 
ation of  magnesian  silicates,  and  is  often  associated  with  serpentine  and 
actinolite.  A  few  deposits  have  been  proven  of  especial  value  to 
date,  and  there  is  an  undoubted  future  for  this  branch  of  the  mineral 
industry  in  the  state.  Deposits  of  high-grade  white  talc,  the  equal 
of  the  imported  Italian  article,  are  now  being  developed  in  Inyo  and 
San  Bernardino  counties.  It  is  used  in  making  paper,  rubber,  toilet 
articles,  soap,  rice  polishing,  lubricants,  tiling,  etc.,  and  for  such  is 
ordinarily  ground  to  about  200  mesh  before  marketing.  In  this  condi- 
tion it  brings  $15  per  ton  and  upwards,  depending  on  quality.  Com- 
mercially, the  higher  grades  are  called  talc,  and  the  lower,  soapstone. 
Soapstone  blocks  are  used  in  fireless  cookers,  electrical  switchboards, 
labor^ory  table  tops  and  laundry  tubs;  and  the  crushed  material  is 
used  in  roofing  papers. 

There  was  a  total  output  in  1919  of  8,764  tons,  valued  at  $115,091 
from  two  producers  each  in  Amador,  El  Dorado,  and  San  Bernardino, 
and  one  in  Inyo.  This  is  a  decrease  in  tonnage,  but  an  increase  in 
value  over  the  1918  output. 


County 


El  Dorado  

San   Bernardino   _. 
Amador  and  Inyo^* 


1,600 
3,601 
3,563 


$13,950 
19,845 
81,296 


Totals 


8,764 


$115,091 


•Combined  to  conceal  output  of  a  single  operator  in  Inyo  County. 


Production  has  been  intermittent  in  the  state  since  1893,  as  shown 
in  the  following  table : 


Te«r 

Tona 

1 

Value 

Tear 

Ton. 

Value 

1893 

4oo; 

$17,750 

1908  -. 

3 

33 

740 

$48 

1894 

1909 

280 

1895 

25  i 

i 

r 

375 

1910  -. 

7.260 

1896 

1911 

1897   

1912 

1.750 
1.350 
1,000 
1,663 
1,703 
5.267 
11,760 
8,764 

7.350 

1898 

! 

|l  1913 

6,150 

1899 

1914  _-. 

4.500 

1900 

1915  - 

14.750 

1901 

10 

14 

219 

228 

300 

119 

288 

10,124 

1916  ._. 

9.831 

1902 _ 

1917  -^ 

45.279 

1903 

1918          

85.534 

1904 

2,315 
3,000  j 

1919 

115.091 

1905 

1906 

To 

tals 

35,229 

$3:30.044 

1907 

L 

!>-4o98 


130  MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OP   CALIFORNIA. 

STRONTIUM. 

Bibliography:  Bulletin  67.   U.  S.  G.  S.,  Bull.  540;  660-1. 

There  was  no  production  of  strontium  minerals  in  California  in 
1919,  though  in  1918  both  celestite  (SrSO^),  and  the  carbonate,  stronti- 
anite  (SrCOg)  were  shipped.  The  first  recorded  commercial  output 
of  strontium  minerals  in  California  was  in  1916.  The  occurrence  of 
the  carbonate  is  particularly  interesting  and  valuable,  as  it  appears  to 
be  the  first  considerable  deposit  of  commercial  importance  so  far 
opened  up  in  the  United  States.  Shipments  reported  as  averaging 
80%  SrCOg  have  been  made.  The  deposit  is  associated  with  deposits 
of  barite. 

In  addition  to  the  Imperial  County  occurrence,  noted  in  our  1916 
bulletin,  celestite  is  also  found  near  Calico  and  Ludlow,  and  in  the 
Avawatz  Mountains  in  San  Bernardino  County,  but  as  yet  undeveloped. 
The  above  noted  output  was  converted  to  the  nitrate. 

Production  of  strontium  minerals  in  California,  by  years,  has  been 
as  follows : 


Year 

Tons 

Value 

1916    

57 
3,050 
2,900 

$2,850 
37  000 

1917   __ 

1918   

33  000 

1919   

Totals 

6,007 

$72,850 

It  is  estimated  by  the  U.  S.  Geological  Survey,  that  prior  to  1914 
about  2000  tons  of  strontium  nitrate  was  used  in  the  manufacture  of 
flares,  or  Costen  and  Bengal  lights  and  fireworks.  The  nitrate  was 
imported  from  Germany,  England  and  Sicily. 

There  is  undoubtedly  a  good  future  for  the  strontium  minerals  in 
California,  if  the  beet-sugar  factories  will  take  up  their  use,  as  has 
been  done  in  Germany.  Strontia  is  much  more  efficient  and  satisfac- 
tory in  that  process  than  lime,  as  it  is  stated  to  give  an  additional 
recovery  of  6%-8%  over  lime.  In  Germany  and  Russia,  about  100,000 
tons  of  strontium  hydroxide  were  used  annually  in  the  sugar  industry. 

Of  the  two  minerals,  slrontianite  is  the  more  desirable,  but  scarcer. 
Celestite  is  more  abundant,  and  can  be  sold  at  about  $14-$18  per  ton 
at  the  Atlantic  seaboard.  The  carbonate  during  1918  brought  from 
$40-$50  per  ton,  crudo,  depending  on  quality.  Celestite  is  found 
with  limestones  and  sandstones  and  is  sometimes  associated  with 
gypsum.  Strontianite  is  also  found  with  limestone,  but  associated 
with  barite  and  calcite. 


STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAL   PRODUCTION.  .     131 

SULPHUR. 

Bibliography:  State  Mineralogist  Reports  IV,  XIII,  XIV.     Bul- 
letins 38,  67. 

There  has  not  been,  for  many  years,  any  commercial  output  of  native 
sulphur  in  California,  although  this  mineral  has  been  found  to  some 
extent  in  Colusa,  Imperial,  Inyo,  Kern,  Lake,  Mariposa,  San  Bernar- 
dino, Sonoma,  Tehama,  and  Ventura  counties.  Operations  were  begun 
late  in  1917,  on  a  property  in  Inyo  County,  and  some  material  stated 
to  assay  40%  sulphur  was  mined.  Difficulties  were  encountered  in 
refining  it,  so  that  only  a  small  production  was  made,  but  none  shipped. 

At  the  Elgin  mine,  near  Wilbur  Springs,  in  Colusa  County,  a  small 
tonnage  of  sulphur  was  prepared  toward  the  close  of  1918,  but  not 
shipped.  The  orebody  is  stated  to  assay  52.6%  S.  over  a  width  of  22 
feet.  Two  retorts,  steam-heated,  were  installed,  with  a  capacity  of 
4500  pounds  of  ore,  each,  per  charge.  There  is  a  large  body  of 
material,  in  a  zone  at  least  75  feet  wide,  impregnated  with  native 
-sulphur  crystals,  which  can  be  cheaply  mined,  if  certain  mechanical 
difficulties  of  melting  and  cleaning  can  be  economically  overcome. 

Sulphur  was  produced  at  the  famous  Sulphur  Bank  mine,  in  Lake 
County,  during  the  years  1865-1868  (inc.)  totaling  941  tons,  valued 
at  $53,500 ;  following  which  the  property  became  more  valuable  for  its 
quicksilver.     The   Elgin  mine,  noted  above,  is  a  similar  occurrence. 

About  37,000  tons  of  sulphur  per  year  are  imported  to  the  United 
States  from  Japan,  most  of  it  coming  in  through  the  port  of  San 
Francisco.  The  principal  sources  in  the  United  States  are  the  strati- 
fied deposits  in  Louisiana  and  Texas,  extraction  being  accomplished  by 
a  unique  system  of  wells  with  steam  pipes.  It  is  stated  that  the  three 
large  companies  operating  there  are  capable  of  producing  more  than 
1,000,000  tons  annually  in  excess  of  our  normal  consumption  in  the 
United  States,  which  averages  about  600,000  tons. 

Formerly  considerable  sulphur  was  imported  from  Italy,  the  Palermo 
district  being  the  principal  producer.  The  industry  is  under  the 
control  of  the  government,  and  exports  are  under  license.  According 
to  a  U.  S.  Consular  Report  :^ 

"Prices  range  from  $55  to  $57  for  crude,  to  $73  to  $85  for  refined.  As  American 
sulphur  is  cheaper  than  Sicilian,  it  is  believed  that  should  freights  become  normal 
it  will  be  possible  to   import  American  sulphur  into  Italy." 


'Consular  Report,  Annual  Series,  No.   8c,  Nov.  29,   1918,  p. 


.132 


MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 


CHAPTER  SIX. 


SALINES. 

Under  this  heading  are  included  borax,  common  salt,  soda,  potash, 
and  other  alkaline  salts.  The  first  two  have  been  produced  in  a  num- 
ber of  localities  in  California,  more  or  less  regularly  since  the  early 
sixties,  although  the  State  Mining  Bureau  kept  no  annual  records  of 
output  previous  to  1887.  Except  for  a  single  year's  absence,  soda  has 
had  a  continuous  production  since  1894.  Potash,  and  magnesium  chlor- 
ide and  sulphate  have  only  recently  been  added  to  the  commercial  list, 
while  the  nitrates  are  still  prospective. 

Our  main  resources  of  salines  are  the  lake  beds  of  the  desert  regions 
of  Imperial,  Inyo,  Kern,  Los  Angeles,  San  Bernardino,  San  Luis 
Obispo,  and  Siskiyou  counties,  and  the  waters  of  the  Pacific  Ocean. 

The  following  tabulation  shows  amount  and  value  of  the  saline  min- 
erals produced  in  California  during  the  years  1918  and  1919,  with 
increase  or  decrease  in  value  for  1919,  as  compared  with  the  previous 
year: 


1918 

1919 

Increase -j- 

Decrease — 

Value 

Substance 

Tons 

Value 

Tons 

Value 

Borax     ___    __    

88,772 

1,008 

49,381 

212,076 

20,447 

$1,867,908 

29,955 

6,808,976 

806,328 

855,423 

66,791 

1,616 

28,118 

233,994 

21,294 

$1,717,192 

82,457 

2,415,963 

896,963 

721,958 

$150,716— 

52,502-f- 

4,393,013— 

90,635+ 

133,465— 

Magnesium  salts 

Potash          

Salt    - 

Soda _    

Total  value  

$10,368,590 

$5,834,533 

Net  decrease  

$4  534  057— 

BORAX. 

Bibliography :  State  Mineralogist  Reports  III,  X,  XII,  XIII,  XIV, 
XV.     Bulletins  24,  67. 

Borax  was  first  discovered  in  California  in  the  waters  of  Tuscan 
Springs  in  Tehama  County,  January  8,  1856.  Borax  Lake,  in  Lake 
County,  was  discovered  in  September  of  the  same  year  by  Dr.  John  A. 
Veatch.  This  deposit  was  worked  in  1864-1868,  inclusive,  and  during 
that  time  produced  1,181,365  pounds  of  refined  borax.  This  was  the 
first  commercial  output  of  this  salt  in  the  United  States,  and  California 
is  still  today  the  only  American  producer  of  borax. 

Production  from  the  dry  lake  or  'playa'  deposits  of  Inyo  and 
San  Bernardino  counties  began  in  1873 ;  but  it  was  not  until  1887  that 
the  borax  industry  was  revolutionized  by  the  discovery  of  the  colemanite 


STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAL   PRODUCTION. 


133 


beds  at  Calico  in  San  Bernardino  County.  These  have  since  been 
worked  out,  and  the  present  output  comes  from  similar  beds  in  Inyo 
and  Los  Angeles  counties.  The  colemanite  deposits  of  Ventura  County 
are  at  present  unworked,  owing  to  lack  of  transportation  facilities. 

During  1919,  there  was  reported  a  total  output  of  66,791  tons, 
valued  at  $1,717,192,  compared  with  88,772  tons,  valued  at  $1,867,908 
in  1918.  A  portion  of  the  1919  production  was  made  from  the  brine 
of  Searles  Lake  in  San  Bernardino  County. 

Value  of  the  state 's  borax  output  since  1887  is  shown  in  the  following 
table : 


Year 

Value 

Tear 

Valo* 

1887  

$116,689 

196,636 

145,473 

480,152 

640,000 

838,787 

593,292 

807,807 

595,900 

675,400 

1,080,000 

1,153,000 

1,139,882 

1,013.251 

982,380 

2,234.994 

661,400 

698,810 

1905 

$1,019,158 

1888  _ 

1906 

1.182  410 

1889  

1907 

1.200,913 
1,117,000 

1890  

1908  

1891  

1909  

1,163.960 
1,177,960 

1892  

1910  

1893 _. 

1911 

1.456  672 

1894 

1912 

1,122.713 
1,491,530 

1895  

1913  

1896  

1914    

1,483.500 

1897  

1915 

1,663  521 

1898 

1916   

2,409.375 

1899  _ 

1917  

2,561,958 

1900  

1918  

1,867,908 

1901  -  - 

1919  

1,717,192 

1902 

Total ..   __ 

1903 

$36,689,623 

1904  ___.  _ 

MAGNESIUM   SALTS. 

Magnesium  chloride  is  an  important  item  in  certain  chemical  uses, 
and  in  the  preparation  of  Sorel  cement  in  laying  magnesite  floors. 
Previous  to  1915,  Germany  was  the  principal  source  of  this  chloride, 
which  source  has  since,  of  course,  been  cut  off.  For  this  reason  experi- 
ments have  been  made  to  prepare  it  by  acid  solution  from  magnesite, 
which  is  so  abundant  in  California.  Some  of  the  salt  companies  began 
its  commercial  preparation  in  1916,  from  the  residual  bitterns  obtained 
during  the  evaporation  of  sea  water  for  its  sodium  chloride. 

In  addition  to  the  chloride,  some  magnesium  sulphate,  or  'technical 
epsom  salts, '  was  also  made  at  three  of  the  plants :  Oliver  Chemical  Com- 
pany in  Alameda  County,  Whitney  Chemical  Company  in  San  Mateo 
County,  and  the  Marine  Chemical  Company  at  Long  Beach,  Los  Angeles 
County.  In  1919,  the  Merle  Magnesia  Company  at  Redwood  City,  San 
Mateo  County,  produced  magnesium  carbonate.  The  chloride  sold  for 
$25  to  $35  per  ton,  and  the  sulphate  at  $50  to  $65  per  ton. 


134  MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

The  1919  output  of  chloride,  sulphate,  and  carbonate  totaled  1616 
tons,  valued  at  $82,457,  from  Alameda,  Los  Angeles  and  San  Mateo 
counties,  compared  with  1008  tons  and  $29,955  in  1918.  The  chloride 
was  utilized  in  Sorel  cement  for  flooring  and  stucco ;  the  sulphate,  for 
tannery  and  medical  purposes;  and  the  carbonate  in  the  manufacture 
of  '85%  magnesia  pipe  and  boiler  covering'  mixed  with  asbestos. 

Bitterns  made  at  plants  on  San  Francisco  Bay  carry  23  to  86  parts 
of  magnesium  per  thousand,  or  2.3%  to  8.6%  magnesium.^ 

Metallic  magnesium  is  prepared  electrolytically,  utilizing  generally 
an  electrolyte  of  magnesium  chloride  and  an  alkaline  chloride.  Its 
commonest  known  use  is  in  the  powdered  form  for  flash  lights  in 
photography.  During  the  war,  magnesium  was  put  in  shrapnel  shells, 
that  observers  and  gunners  might  know  exactly  where  the  shells  were 
bursting.  By  day  the  burning  magnesium  gives  a  dense  pure-white 
cloud  of  magnesium  oxide,  and  at  night  a  dazzling  white  light.  Larger 
quantities  were  used  in  aerial  bombs  and  rockets  for  lighting  up  the 
country  at  night.  Magnesium  has  as  yet  found  but  a  limited  direct 
use  as  a  metal.  Magnalium;  an  alloy  of  aluminum  containing  about 
2%  of  magnesium  and  small  percentages  of  other  metals,  is  stated  to 
be  used  in  automobiles  and  aeroplanes.  The  possibilities  for  further 
important  developments  in  this  direction  are  promising. 

NITRATES. 

Bibliography :  Report  XV.     Bulletin  24.     U.  S.  G.  S.,  Press  Bui-    \ 
letin  No.  373,  July,  1918. 

Nitrates  of  sodium,  potassium  and  calcium  have  been  found  in  various 
places  in  the  desert  regions  of  the  state,  but  no  deposit  of  commercial 
value  has  been  developed  as  yet.  It  is  hoped  that  a  closer  search  may 
some  day  be  rewarded  by  workable  discoveries.  At  present  the  principal 
commercial  source  of  nitrates  is  the  Chilean  saltpeter  (sodium  nitrate) 
deposits  in  South  America. 

The  fixation  of  atmospheric  nitrogen  electrically  has  been  accom- 
plished successfully  in  Germany  and  Scandinavia.  The  possibilities  of 
cheap  hydro-electric  power  in  California  make  the  subject  one  of  intense 
interest  to  us,  as  we  have  also  the  natural  raw  materials  and  chemicals 
to  go  with  the  power.  Sodium  and  potassium  cyanides  can  be  made  by 
fixation  of  atmospheric  nitrogen  electrically. 


lU.  S.  Dept.  Agr.  Bur.  Soils,  Bull.  94,  p.  63,  1913. 


STATISTICS   OP   ANNUAL -PRODUCTION.  135 

POTASH. 

Bibliography:  Report  XV.  Bulletin  24.  U.  S.  G.  S.,  Min.  Res. 
1913,  1914,  1915.  Senate  Doc.  No.  190,  62d  Congress,  2d  Ses- 
sion.    Mining  &  Sci.  Press,  Vol.  112,  p.  155 ;  Vol.  114,  p.  789. 

Potash  production  began  commercially  in  California  in  1914,  with  a 
small  yield  from  kelp.  Considerable  money  has  been  spent  incident  to 
developing  deposits  of  potash-bearing  residues  and  brines  in  the  old 
lake  beds  of  the  desert  regions,  and  production  there  is  now  on  a  com- 
mercial basis  at  two  plants  on  Searles  Lake.  A  third  plant  is  under 
construction.  The  imports  of  potash  salts  and  fertilizers  from  Ger- 
many previous  to  the  European  war  had  an  annual  value  of  several 
millions  of  dollars,  and  their  cessation  made  a  domestic  production 
imperative. 

The  normal  pre-war  price  of  $35  to  $40  per  ton  for  high-grade 
agricultural  salts  has  been  succeeded  by  figures  of  several  times  those 
amounts,  so  that  in  April,  1916,  the  chloride  was  nominally  quoted, 
at  $425  per  ton  and  the  sulphate  from  $350  to  $400  per  ton.  The 
selling  price  in  1919  at  point  of  shipment  for  potash  materials  ranged 
from  $2.30  to  $3.30  per  unit,  corresponding  to  $230  to  $330  per  ton 
of  100%  K3O. 

During  1919,  a  total  of  28,118  tons  of  potash-bearing  materials  of 
all  grades  was  produced  in  California,  valued  at  $2,415,963.  This 
is  approximately  only  one-third  of  the  value  of  the  1918  output. 

The  1919  product  included  refined  potassium  chloride  and  kelp  ash; 
refined  sulphate  from  some  of  the  cement  mills;  concentrated  salts 
from  the  brine  of  Searles  Lake ;  also  potash  char  from  molasses  dis- 
tillery waste  and  Steffens  waste  water  in  beet-sugar  manufacture.  An 
important  tonnage  of  potash  char  was  produced  at  one  plant  operating 
on  Hawaiian  molasses,  but  which  is  not  included  herein,  not  being  of 
California  origin. 

Small  tonnages  of  refined  chloride  were  also  made  from  bitterns  at 
two  of  the  salt  plants  on  San  Francisco  Bay.  No  yield  from  kelp  was 
made  in  1919  in  Los  Angeles  County. 

The  bulk  of  this  output  was  utilized  in  fertilizer  preparations;  but 
the  product  of  at  least  one  of  the  kelp  plants  was  further  refined  or 
converted  to  the  form  of  the  nitrate  for  explosives  manufacture. 

Other  uses  for  potash  salts  besides  those  noted  above,  are  in  the 
manufacture  of  the  best  liquid  soap  and  some  higher-grade  cake  soaps, 
of  some  finer  grades  of  glass,  and  in  matches.  The  chemical  require- 
ments include  tanning,  dyeing,  metallurgy,  electroplating,  photography, 
and  medicine. 

The  large  plant  of  the  America  Trona  Corporation  at  Trona,  on 
Searles  Lake,  San  Bernardino  County,  began  commercial  operation  in 


136 


MINERAL    INDUSTRY    OF    CALIFORNIA. 


September,  1916,  and  is  shipping  crude  chloride  of  potash  to  Eastern 
fertilizer  works.  These  crude  salts  carry  the  equivalent  of  from  20% 
to  38%  K2O.  A  second  plant  at  Searles  Lake,  built  by  the  Solvay 
Process  Company,  began  commercial  operation  in  1917.  Their  product 
is  a  65%  KCl.  A  third  plant  is  under  construction  by  the  West  End 
Mining  Company. 

In  the  cement  mill  of  the  Riverside  Portland  Cement  Company,  the 
fine  dust  from  ball  and  tube  mills  is  collected  by  a  Cottrell  electrical 
fume  precipitator,  the  material  showing  an  approximately  11%  potash 
content.  Sulphate  is  prepared  from  this.  Other  cement  plants,  in 
San  Bernardino  and  Santa  Cruz  counties,  commenced  recovery  of 
potash  in  1918. 

The  following  tabulation  shows  the  distribution  of  the  1919  output 
of  potash  in  California. 


County 

Product 

I<kiuiva- 

lent  per 

cent 

KgO 

Tons 

Value 

San  Bernardino      _    _  __ 

Chloride  and  sulpliate. 
Chloride  and  Icelp  ash 
Chloride,  sulphate,  mo- 
lasses distillery  slops 
char,    Steffens    water 
char 

35-75 
144 

82-52 

21,171 

9m 

$1,670,919 

Santa  Barbara       _    _,  .  

80.128 

Alameda,  Orange,  Riverside, 
San  Diego,  San  Mateo, 
Santa  Clara,  Santa  Cruz.* 

\ 
6,649         714,916 

Totals  

28,118  i  $2,415,963 

,  ,--  ,-- 

^Average. 

♦Combined  to  conceal  output  of  a  single  operator  in  eacti. 

The  annual  amounts  and  values  *of  these  potash  materials  since  their 
beginning  in  California  in  1914,  are  shown  by  the  following  table: 


Year 

Tons 

Value 

1914 

10 

1.076 

17.908 

129,022 

49,381 

28,118 

$460 

1915       

19.391 

1916 _ .                

663.605 

1917 

4.202,889 

1918  _.    __ 

6,808,976 

1919   

.     2,415,963 

Totals    

225,515 

$14,111,284 

SALT. 

Bibliography :  State  Mineralogist  Reports  II,  XII,  XIII,  XIV,  XV. 
Bulletin  24. 

Most  of  the  salt  produced  in  California  is  obtained  by  evaporating 
the  waters  of  the  Pacific  Ocean,  plants  being  located  on  the  shores  of 
San  Francisco  Bay,  at  Long  Beach,  and  on  San  Diego  Bay.  Additional 
amounts  are  derived  from  lakes  and  lake  beds  in  the  desert  regions  of 


STATISTICS  OF   ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


137 


the  state.  The  salt  production  of  San  Bernardino  County  is  derived 
from  deposits  of  rock  salt  which  are  worked  by  means  of  quarrying  and 
steam  shovels.  A  small  amount  of  valuable  medicinal  salts  is  occasion- 
ally obtained  in  Mono  and  Tehama  counties,  by  evaporation  from 
mineral  springs. 

Formerly  a  considerable  proportion  of  the  table  salt  consumed  in 
California  was  shipped  in  from  Eastern  points;  but,  at  present,  Cali- 


Salt  deposit  of  Pacific  Rock  Salt  Company,  near  Amboy,  San  Bernardino  County. 
Showing  bed  of  8  feet  of  rock  salt.     Photo  by  W.  B.  Tucker. 

fornia  salt  refineries  supply  not  only  our  own  needs  but  export  a  fair 
tonnao^e  to  other  markets. 


County 

Tons 

Value 

Alameda  ^ 

157,751 
17.000 
12.400 
30,238 
16,605 

$552,178 

Kern                                                .                                _         

81.000 

San  Diego 

52.800 

San  Mateo   

136,190 

Imperial,  Inyo,  Los  Angeles,  Modoc,  Monterey* 

74,795 

Totals 

233.9^1 

$896,963 

^Combined  to  conceal  output  of  a  single  operator  in  each. 


The  above  returns  show  an  increase  both  in  tonnage  and  value,  as 
compared  to  1918.  There  were  12  plants  operating  in  Alameda,  two 
each  in  Kern  and  San  Diego,  three  in  San  Mateo,  and  one  in  each 
of  the  other  counties  tabulated. 


1S8 


MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OP   CALIFORNIA. 


Amount  and  value  of  annual  production  of  salt  in  California  from 
1887  is  shown  in  the  following  tabulation: 


Tear 

Tons 

Value 

Year 

Tons 

Value 

1887  

28,000 

30,800 

21,000 

8,729 

20,094 

23,570 

50,500 

49,131 

53,031 

64,743 

67,851 

93,421 

82,654 

89,338 

126,218 

115,208 

102.895 

95,968 

$112,000 

92,400 

63,000 

57,085 

90.303 

104.788 

213,000 

140,087 

150,576 

153,244 

157,520 

170,855 

149,588 

204,754 

366,376 

205,876 

211.365 

187,300 

1905 

77,118 
101.650 

88.063 
121.764 
155.680 
174.920 
173.332 
185.721 
204.407 
223.806 
169.028 
186.148 
227.825 
212.076 
233,994 

$141,925 

1888   

1906 

213,228 

1889 

1907        -  — 

310,967 

1890 _ 

1908 

1909 

281,469 

1891 

414.708 

1892   _    _  _   _ 

1910 

395.417 

1893 

1911 

324,255 

1894 _ 

1912 

383,370 

1895 

1913 _— 

462,681 

1896  

1914   .  -   -  - 

E83.553 

1897 _ 

1915 

368,737 

1898 _- 

1916 _._ 

1917 — 

455.695 

1899 

584,373 

1900 

1918 

1919 _-. 

Totals  .._ 

806.328 

1901 - 

896,963 

1009 

1903 

3,658,683 

$9,458,786 

1904   

SODA. 

Bibliography :  State  Mineralogist  Reports  XII,  XIII,  XV. 
letins  24,  67. 


Bui- 


The  production  of  the  carbonates  and  sulphate  of  sodium,  in  Cali- 
fornia in  1919  included,  soda  ash  from  plants  at  Owens  Lake,  and  the 
natural  sulphate  from  the  Carrizo  Plains,  San  Luis  Obispo  County. 
The  total  tonnage  was  21,294,  valued  at  $721,958,  the  bulk  of  which 
came  from  the  three  plants  in  Inyo  County. 

These  'sodas'  were  used  in  the  manufacture  of  glass,  soap,  and 
paper,  as  well  as  washing  and  baking  soda,  also  in  sugar  refining. 

The  war  stimulated  the  chemical  industry  in  the  United  States  to 
produce  materials  that  were  formerly  imported  and  to  supply  them  to 
foreign  countries,  as  well  as  to  devise  new  uses  for  chemical  products, 
also  to  replace  more  expensive  by  less  expensive  chemicals.  Sodium 
compounds  have  replaced  potassium  compounds,  either  wholly  or  in 
part,  in  glass  and  soap  making,  in  photography,  in  match  making,  in 
tanning,  and  in  the  manufacture  of  cyanide  for  extracting  gold  and 
silver  from  their  ores. 


I 


STATISTICS   OP   ANNUAL   PRODUCTION. 


139 


The  total  output,  showing  amount  and  value  of  these  materials  in 
California  since  the  inception  of  the  statistical  records  of  the  State 
Mining  Bureau,  is  given  in  the  table  which  follows: 


Tear 

Tons 

Value 

Tear 

TODB 

Value 

1894 

1,530 

1,900 

3,000 

5,000 

7,000 

10,000 

1,000 

8,000 

7,000 

18,000 

12,000 

15,000 

12,000 

$20,000 

47,500 

65,000 

110,000 

154,000 

250,000 

50,000 

400,000 

50,000 

27,000 

18,000 

22,500 

18,000 

1908 _ 

1909 

1910 

1911 .- 

1912 

1913  _ _„ 

1914 __. 

1915 

1916 

1917 

1918 

1919 - 

9,600 

7,712 

8,125 

9,023 

7,200 

1,861 

6,522 

5,799 

10.593 

24.505 

20.447 

21.294 

$14,400 

1895    

11,593 

1896    

11.862 

1897     

52,887 

1898    - 

37,094 

1899       -  -    

24,936 

1900           -    

115,396 

1901       

83,485 

1902                

264,825 

1903                     

928*578 

19(M           

855,423 

1905 

721,958 

IQDfi 

Totals 

1907 

234,111 

$4,354,437 

1                  j 

140  MINERAL  INDUSTRY  OP  CALIFORNIA. 


CHAPTER  SEVEN. 
MINERAL   PRODUCTION   OF  CALIFORNIA   BY  COUNTIES. 

Introductory. 

The  State  of  California  includes  a  total  area  of  158,360  square  miles, 
of  which  155,980  square  miles  are  of  land.  The  maximum  width  is  235 
miles,  the  minimum,  148  miles;  and  the  length  from  the  northwest 
corner  to  the  southeast  corner  is  775  miles.  The  state  is  divided  into 
fifty-eight  counties.  Some  mineral  of  commercial  value  exists  in  every 
county,  and  during  1919  active  production  was  reported  to  the  State 
Mining  Bureau  from  fifty-seven  counties  of  the  fifty-eight.  In  the  moun- 
tainous portions  of  the  state  are  largely  found  the  vein-forming  minerals. 
In  the  desert  regions  of  southeastern  California  ancient  lake  beds  afford 
supplies  of  saline  deposits.  Underlying  the  interior  valleys  of  the  cen- 
tral and  southern  portion  of  the  state  are  the  large  crude-oil  reservoirs. 
Building  stones  and  mineral  earths  cf  all  descriptions  are  widely  distrib- 
uted throughout  the  length  and  breadth  of  the  state.  The  1920  census 
figures  show  a  total  population  for  California,  of  3,437,709. 

Of  the  first  ten  counties  in  point  of  total  output  for  1919,  six  (Kern, 
Orange,  Los  Angeles,  Fresno,  Santa  Barbara,  Ventura)  owe  their  posi- 
tion mainly  to  petroleum.  Kern,  due  to  its  oil,  leads  all  the  others  by 
nearly  three  times  the  total  of  Orange,  its  nearest  competitor.  Shasta 
owes  its  rank  to  copper,  gold,  silver,  zinc  and  pyrite,  but  dropped  from 
sixth  place  in  1918  to  eleventh  in  1919  due  to  the  decrease  in  copper 
output;  San  Bernardino,  its  place  on  account  of  potash,  tungsten, 
cement,  and  copper;  Inyo,  mainly  to  borax,  lead,  tungsten  and  soda, 
but  dropped  from  eighth  to  twelfth  place  in  1919 ;  and  Yuba,  Amador, 
Nevada,  mainly  to  gold.  Twenty-two  counties  have  each  a  total  in 
excess  of  a  million  dollars,  for  1919.  Cement  is  an  important  item  in 
six  of  these  counties. 

In  point  of  variety  and  diversity.  Riverside  County  led  all  the  others 
in  1919  with  a  total  of  19  different  mineral  products  on  its  commercial 
list,  followed  by  San  Bernardino  with  17,  Inyo  with  15,  Shasta  with  14, 
Los  Angeles  with  13,  Kern  and  San  Diego  with  12. 

The  counties  with  their  mineral  resources,  production  for  1919,  etc., 
are  considered  in  detail  in  this  chapter. 


STATISTICS   OP   ANNUAL   PRODUCTION. 


141 


Value  of  California  Mineral  Production,  by  Counties,  for  1919,  Arranged  in  the 
Order  of   Their    Importance. 


County 


Value 


.  1. 
2. 
3. 
4. 

5. 
6. 

7. 

8. 

9. 
10. 
11. 
12. 
13. 
14. 
15. 
16. 
17. 
18. 
19. 
20. 
21. 
22. 
23. 
24. 
25. 
26. 
27. 
28. 
29. 
30. 
31. 
32. 
33. 
34. 
35. 
36. 
37. 
38. 
39. 
40. 
41. 
42. 
43. 
44. 
45. 
46. 
47. 
48. 
49. 
50. 
51. 
52. 
53. 
54. 
55. 
56. 
57. 
58. 


Kern 

Orange 

Los  Angeles 

Fresno  

Santa  Barbara  . 
San  Bernardino 

Yuba   

Amador  

Nevada    

Ventura    

Shasta   

Inyo    


Riverside    

Sacramento  _. 
Santa  Cruz  __. 

Plumas    

Calaveras    

Solano    

Contra  Costa 

Alameda   

San  Benito  __. 
Santa  Clara  . 
Butte    


Siskiyou   

Stanislaus    _ 

Trinity    

Tuolumne    __ 
San  Joaquin 

Placer  

Mariposa    ___ 
San  Diego  __ 

Tulare    

Sierra  


Sonoma  

Napa  

San  Mateo 

Marin   

San  Luis  Obispo 
El   Dorado   _._,_. 

Monterey   

Imperial    

Madera 

San  Francisco  _. 

Glenn    

Mono  

Kings    

Humboldt    

Merced   

Lake    

Yolo    

Mendocino  

Tehama  

Modoc    

Colusa   

Del  Norte 

Lassen   

Alpine  

Sutter  


Total 


$67,153,361 

27,848,727 

23,606,381 

21,643,898 

7,594,917 

4,236,199 

3,943,537 

3,439,842 

3,068,010 

3,017,074 

2.912,718 

2,674,835 

2,578,250 

2,275,827 

2,245,056 

2,183,750 

1,886,608 

1,672,064 

1,395,558 

1,304,685 

1,276,476 

1,048,571 

803,829 

608,468 

590.326 

536,783 

459,396 

449,000 

415,131 

410,535 

343,230 

331,001 

292,950 

286,038 

275,303 

241,671 

228,974 

212,430 

164,452 

148,504 

133,236 

110,683 

65,541 

59,637 

52,682 

51,283 

43,667 

40.350 

39,375 

25.466 

14.214 

9,000 

8,670 

7,300 

6.871 

1,100 

100 


$196,473,560 


142  MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF    CALIFORNIA. 

ALAMEDA. 

Area :  843  square  miles. 
Population:  344,177  (1920  census). 

Alameda  County,  while  in  no  sense  one  of  the  'mining  counties,'  comes 
twentieth  on  the  list  with  a  value  of  mineral  products  for  1919  of 
$1,304,685,  an  increase  from  the  1918  total,  which  was  $1,173,535. 
The  mineral  resources  of  this  county  include  asbestos,  brick,  chromite, 
clay,  coal,  limestone,  magnesite,  manganese,  pyrite,  salt,  soapstone,  and 
miscellaneous  stone. 

Commercial  production  for  1919  was  as  follows: 

Substance  Amount  Value 

Chromite 80  tons  $1,264 

Brick  and  tile 369,778 

Clay  (pottery) 5,011  tons  12,127 

Pyrite  8,978  tons  42,902 

Salt   157,751  tons  552,178 

Stone,  miscellaneous 309,572 

Other  minerals* 16,864 

Total  value $1,304,685 

♦Includes  magnesium  salts,  manganese,  and  potash. 


ALPINE. 

Area:  776  square  miles. 
Population:  243    (1920  census). 

Alpine  has  in  the  past  shown  a  small  production  of  gold  and  silver, 
but  dropped  out  of  the  list  of  producing  counties  in  1914-1918.  For 
1919,  crushed  rock  of  $100  in  value  was  reported. 

This  county  lies  just  south  of  Lake  Tahoe,  in  the  high  Sierra  Nevada 
range  of  mountains.  Transportation  is  by  wagon  or  mule  back,  and 
facilities  in  general  are  lacking  to  promote  development  work  of  any 
kind. 

The  mineral  resources  of  this  section  are  varied  and  the  country  has 
not  yet  been  thoroughly  prospected.  Occurrences  of  barium,  copper, 
gold,  gypsum,  lead,  limestone,  pyrite,  rose  quartz,  silver,  tourmaline, 
and  zinc  have  been  noted  here. 

AMADOR. 

Area:  601  square  miles. 
Population:  7,793  (1920  census). 

The  value  of  Amador  County 's  mineral  production  decreased  slightly 
from  $3,452,640  in  1918  to  $3,439,842,  placing  it  number  eight  on  the 
list  of  counties  in  the  state  as  regards  total  value  of  mineral  substances 
marketed.     The  drop  was  due  to  a  decrease  in  gold  output. 


STATISTICS   OP    ANNUAL    PRODUCTION.  143 

Although  having  an  output  consisting  of  9  different  minerals,  the 
leading  product,  gold,  makes  up  approximately  95%  of  the  entire 
total.  Amador  led  the  state  in  gold  production  in  1915,  but  was  slightly 
exceeded  in  1917  by  Nevada  and  Yuba  counties,  and  by  Yuba  in  1918- 
1919. 

The  mineral  resources  of  this  county  include  asbestos,  brick,  chromite, 
clay,  coal,  copper,  gold,  lime,  quartz  crystals,  glass-sand,  sandstone, 
silver,  soapstone,  and  miscellaneous  stone. 

Commercial  production  for  1919  was  as  follows : 

Substance  Amount  "Value 

Clay  and  clay  products $142,523 

Gold  ^3,200,000 

Silica 8,440  tons  67,366 

Silver ^20,000 

Other  minerals* 9,953 

Total  value $3,439,842 

•Includes  coal,  manganese,  platinum,  sandstone,   and  soapstone. 
lEstimated. 


BUTTE. 

Area:  1,722  square  miles. 
Population:  30,030  (1920  census). 
Location  :  North-central  portion  of  state. 

Butte,  twenty-third  county  in  California  in  regard  to  the  value  of 
its  mineral  output,  reported  a  commercial  production  of  nine  mineral 
substances,  having  a  total  value  of  $803,829,  as  compared  with  $873,035 
for  1918,  the  decrease  being  due  to  chromite.  As  will  be  noted  in  the 
following  tabulation,  gold  is  by  far  the  most  important  item.  Butte 
stands  sixth  among  the  gold-producing  counties  of  the  state.  Among 
the  mineral  resources  of  this  section  are  asbestos,  barytes,  chromite, 
gems,  gold,  limestone,  marble,  mineral  water,  platinum  minerals,  silver 
and  miscellaneous  stone. 

Commercial  value  for  1919  was  as  follows: 


Substance  Amount  Value 

Gold   - ^$700,000 

Mineral  water 6,532  gals.  2,388 

Platinum 33  oz.  5,071 

Silver ^2,500 

Stone,  miscellaneous 92,765 

Other  minerals* 1,105 

Total  value i $803,829 

♦Includes  gems  and  natural  gas. 
^Estimated. 


144  MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF    CALIFORNIA. 

CALAVERAS. 

Area:  1,027  square  miles. 

Population:  6,183f   (1920  census). 

Location:  East-central  portion  of  state — Mother  Lode  district. 

Calaveras  County  reported  production  of  8  different  minerals,  valued 
at  $1,886,608  during  the  year  1919,  as  compared  with  the  1918  output 
at  $2,794,452.  Gold,  copper  and  silver  are  the  chief  mineral  sub- 
stances produced.  In  regard  to  total  value  of  mineral  output  Cala- 
veras stands  seventeenth  among  the  counties  of  the  state;  it  is  fifth  in 
gold,  third  in  copper,  fifth  in  silver,  having  been  passed  by  Plumas  in 
copper  and  silver  output  for  1918-1919,  and  by  Kern  in  silver,  1919. 
The  decrease,  as  compared  with  1918,  is  due  to  gold  and  copper. 

The  principal  mineral  resources  developed  and  undeveloped  are: 
Asbestos,  chromite,  clay,  copper,  fuller's  earth,  gold,  limestone,  marble, 
mineral  paint,  mineral  water,  platinum  minerals,  pyrite,  quartz  crystals, 
silver,  soapstone,  and  miscellaneous  stone. 

Commercial  output  for  1919  was  as  follows: 

Substance  Amount  Value 

Copper   2,049,330  lbs.  $381,175 

Gold  U,410,000 

Lead 2,019  lbs.  107 

Mineral  water 4,384  gals.  1,034 

Platinum 8  oz.  1,076 

Silver ^84,500 

Stone,  miscellaneous 600 

Other  minerals 8,116 

Total  value $1,886,608 

^Estimated. 


COLUSA. 
Area :  1,140  square  miles. 
Population:  9,920  (1920  census). 
Location :  Sacramento  Valley. 

Colusa  County  lies  largely  in  the  basin  of  the  Sacramento  Valley. 
Its  wastern  border,  however,  rises  into  the  foothills  of  the  Coast  Range 
of  mountains,  and  it  mineral  resources — largely  undeveloped — include 
coal,  chromite,  copper,  gypsum,  manganese,  mineral  water,  pyrite, 
quicksilver,  sandstone,  miscellaneous  stone,  sulphur,  and  in  some  places 
traces  of  gold  and  silver. 

The  value  of  the  1919  production  was  $7,300'  a  decrease  from  the 
1918  figures  of  $16,400,  giving  it  fifty-fourth  place. 

Substance  Amount  Value 

Stone,  miscellaneous $4,900 

Other  minerals 2,400 

Total  value $7,300 


STATISTICS   OP   ANNUAL   PRODUCTION.  145 

CONTRA  COSTA. 

Area:  714  square  miles. 
Population:  53,889   (1920  census). 

Contra  Costa,  like  Alameda  County,  lies  on  the  eastern  shores  of  San 
Francisco  Bay,  and  is  not  commonly  considered  among  the  mineral- 
producing  counties  of  the  state.  It  stands  nineteenth  on  the  list  in  this 
respect,  however,  with  an  output  valued  at  $1,395,558  for  the  calendar 
year  1919.  Various  structural  materials  make  up  the  chief  items, 
including  brick,  cement,  limestone,  and  miscellaneous  stone.  Among 
the  others  are  asbestos,  clay,  coal,  gypsum,  manganese,  mineral  water, 
and  soapstone. 

Commercial  production  for  1919  was  as  follows: 

Substance  Amount  Value 

Clay  and  clay  products _ $193,340 

Stone,  miscellaneous 275,309 

Other  minerals* , 926,909 

Total  value $1,395,558 

•Includes  cement  and  mineral  water. 

DEL  NORTE. 

Area :  1,024  square  miles. 
Population:  2,759  (1920  census). 
Locatio^i:  Extreme  northwest  corner  of  state. 
Transportation:  Wagon  and  mule  back;  steamer  from   Crescent 
City. 

Del  Norte  rivals  Alpine  County  in  regard  to  inaccessibility.  Like 
the  latter  county  also,  given  transportation  and  kindred  facilities,  this 
portion  of  the  state  presents  a  wide  field  for  development  along  mining 
lines  especially.  Its  chief  mineral  resources,  largely  untouched,  are 
ehromite,  copper,  gems,  gold,  iron,  platinum  minerals,  silver,  and  mis- 
cellaneous stone.  The  decrease  in  1919  from  the  1918  figure  of  $371,675 
was  due  to  ehromite. 

Commercial  production  for  1919,  giving  it  fifty-fifth  place,  was  as 
follows : 

Substance  Amount  Value 

}old  ^$500 

;ilver H 

Itone,  miscellaneous 6,300 

lOther  minerals -  67 

Total  value —- -     $6,871 

^Estimated. 


10-4598 


146  MINERAI.    INDUSTRY    OF    CALIFORNIA. 

EL  DORADO. 

Area:  1,753  square  miles. 
Population:  6,426  (1920  census). 

Location:  East-central  portion  of  the  state,  northernmost  of  the 
Mother  Lode  counties. 

El  Dorado  County,  which  contains  the  locality  where  gold  in  Cali- 
fornia was  first  heralded  to  the  world,  comes  thirty-ninth  on  the  list  of 
counties  ranked  according'  to  the  value  of  their  total  mineral  production 
during  the  year  1919.  In  addition  to  the  segregated  figures  here  given, 
a  large  tonnage  of  limestone  is  annually  shipped  from  El  Dorado  for  use 
in  cement  manufacture,  and  whose  value  is  included  in  the  state  total 
for  cement.  Chromite  and  limestone  both  showed  important  decreases 
for  1919. 

The  mineral  resources  of  this  section,  many  of  them  undeveloped, 
include  asbestos,  barytes,  chromite,  clay,  copper,  gems,  gold,  iron, 
molybdenum,  limestone,  quartz  crystals,  quicksilver,  glass-sand,  slate, 
soapstone,  silver  and  miscellaneous  stone. 

Commercial  production  for  1919  was  as  follows : 

Substance  Amount  Value 

Chromite 1 378  tons  $6,510 

Gold  ^28,000 

Limestone  41,025  tons  112,423 

Silver ^700 

Soapstone  or  talc 1,600  tons  13,950 

Stone,  miscellaneous  1,700 

Other  minerals 1,169 

Total  value : $164,452  J 

^Estimated. 

i 

FRESNO. 

Area:  5,950  square  miles. 
Poxmlation:  128,779  (1920  census). 
Location:  South-central  portion  of  state. 

Fresno  County,  fourth  in  importance  as  a  mineral  producer  among 
the  counties  of  California,  reported  an  output  for  1919  of  eleven  mineral 
substances,  with  a  total  value  of  $21,643,898,  an  increase  over  the 
reported  1918  production,  which  was  worth  $19,876,625.  The  great 
bulk  of  the  above  is  derived  from  the  petroleum  production  of  the 
Coalinga  field. 

The  mineral  resources  of  this  county  are  many,  and,  aside  from  crude 
oil,  are  in  the  main  not  yet  fully  developed.  They  include  asbestos, 
barytes,  brick,  chromite,  copper,  gems,  gold,  graphite,  gypsum,  mag- 
nesite,  natural  gas,  petroleum,  quicksilver,  and  miscellaneous  stone. 


STATISTICS   OP   ANNUAL  PRODUCTION.  147 

Commercial  production  for  1919  was  as  follows : 

Substance                                                                                                                 Amount  Value 

Gold     _ ^$5,000 

Granite 34,500 

Magnesite 600  tons  5,950 

Natural  gas  5,191,287  M  cu.  ft.  411,356 

Petroleum  16,091,037  bbls.  20,805,711 

Silver  __     __ 140 

Stone,  miscellaneous 241,213 

Other  minerals* 140,128 

Total  value $21,643,898 

•Includes  chromite  and  brick. 
1  Estimated. 


GLENN. 

Area:  1,259  square  miles. 
Population:  11,853   (1920  census). 
Location:  West  side  of  Sacramento  Valley. 

Glenn  County,  standing  forty-fourth,  owes  its  position  among  the 
mineral-producing  counties  of  the  state  mainly  to  the  presence  of  large 
deposits  of  sand  and  gravel  which  are  annually  worked,  the  product 
being  used  for  railroad  ballast,  etc.  In  1917  and  1918,  chromite  was 
also  an  important  item.  In  the  foothills  in  the  western  portion  of  the 
county,  deposits  of  chromite,  copper,  manganese,  sandstone,  and  soap- 
stone  have  been  found. 

Commercial  production  for  1919  was  as  follows : 

Substance  .  Amount  Value 

Stone,  miscellaneous  $58,137 

Other  minerals  .. 1,500 

Total  value  $59,637 


HUMBOLDT. 

Area:  3,634  square  miles. 
Population:  37,857    (1920   census). 

Location :  Northwestern    portion    of    state,    bordering    on    Pacific 
Ocean. 

Humboldt  County  is  almost  entirely  mountainous,  transportation 
within  its  limits  being  very  largely  by  wagon  road  and  trail,  and  until 
recent  years  was  reached  from  the  outside  world  by  steamer  only.  The 
county  is  rich  in  mineral  resources,  among  which  are  brick,  chromite, 
coal,  clay,  copper,  gold,  iron,  mineral  water,  natural  gas,  petroleum, 
platinum,  silver  and  miscellaneous  stone. 

Six  mineral  substances,  as  shown  by  the  table  given  below,  having 
a  total  value  of  $43,667,  were  produced  in  1919,  as  compared  with  the 


148  MINERAL  INDUSTRY  OP  CALIFORNIA. 

1918  output,  worth  $141,954,  the  decrease  being  due  to  manganese  and 
chromite.  Humboldt  ranks  forty-seventh  among  the  counties  of  the 
state  for  the  year. 

Commercial  production  for  1919  was  as  follows :    - 

Substance  Amount  Value 

Brick  and  clay $9,271 

Gold  18,000 

Silver ^50 

Stone,  miscellaneous  25,198 

Other  minerals* 1,148 


Total  value $43,667 

*Includes  mineral  water  and  natural  gas. 
^Estimated. 


IMPERIAL. 

Area:  4,089  square  miles. 

Population:  43,383    (1920  census). 

Location:  Extreme  southeast  corner  of  the  state. 

During  1919  Imperial  County  produced  eight  mineral  substances 
having  a  total  value  of  $133,236,  as  compared  with  the  1918  output, 
worth  $109,692.  Its  rank  is  forty-first.  This  county  contains  deposits 
of  gold,  gypsum,  lead,  marble,  pumice,  salt,  silver,  and  strontium, 
largely  undeveloped. 

Commercial  production  for  1919  was  as  follows: 

Substance  Amount  Value 

Gold    _^ i$200 

Silver    il,2€0 

Stone,  miscellaneous 63,900 

Other  minerals* 67,936 

Total  value $133,236 

♦Includes  brick,  lead,  pumice,  and  salt. 
^Estimated. 


INYO. 

Area:  10,019  square  miles. 
Population:  7,031  (1920  census). 

Location :  Lies  on  eastern  border  of  state,  north  of  San  Bernardino 
County. 

Inyo,  the  second  largest  county  in  the  state,  and  containing  less  than 
one  inhabitant  per  square  mile,  is  extremely  interesting  from  a  mineral- 
ogical  point  of  view.  It  is  noted  because  of  the  fact  that  within  its 
borders  are  located  both  the  highest  point,  Mount  Whitney  (elevation 


STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAL   PRODUCTION.  149 

14,502  feet),  and  the  lowest  point.  Death  Valley  (elevation  290  feet 
below  sea  level),  in  the  United  States.  In  the  higher  mountainous 
sections  are  found  many  vein-forming  minerals,  and  in  the  lake  beds 
of  Death  Valley  saline  deposits  exist. 

Inyo's  mineral  production  during  the  year  1919  reached  a  value  of 
•1^2,674,835,  standing  twelfth  among  the  counties  of  the  state  in  this 
respect.  The  1918  value  was  $5,177,676,  the  decrease  being  due  mainly 
to  lead,  silver  and  tungsten.  Its  mineral  resources  include  antimony, 
asbestos,  barytes,  borax,  copper,  gems,  gold,  gypsum,  lead,  marble, 
molybdenum,  mineral  w^ater,  nitre,  pumice,  quicksilver,  salt,  silver, 
soda,  sulphur,  talc,  tungsten,  and  zinc. 

Commercial  production  for  1919  was  as  follows: 

Substance  Amount  Value 

Copper  169,713  lbs.  $31,567 

Gold  ^90.000 

Lead - 3.643,485  lbs.  193,105 

Limestone   2,360  tons  12,000 

Silver  456,000 

Stone,  miscellaneous 7,850 

Zinc   1,192,353  lbs.  87,042 

Other  minerals* 2,097,271 

Total  value $2,674,835 

'Includes  borax,  dolomite,  marble,  pumice,  salt,  soda,  talc,  and  tungsten, 
^Estimated. 


KERN. 

Area:  8,003  square  miles. 
Population:  54,843  (1920  census). 
Location :  South-central  portion  of  state. 

Kern  County,  because  of  its  immensely  productive  oil  fields,  stands 
pre-eminent  among  all  counties  of  California  in  the  value  of  its  mineral 
output,  the  exact  figures  for  1919  being  $67,153,361.  This  is  larger  by 
nearly  forty  million  dollars  than  the  succeeding  county  on  the  list. 
This  figure  also  is  approximately  four  times  the  value  of  the  total  gold 
output  of  the  entire  state  for  1919.  The  1918  mineral  output  for  Kern 
County  was  worth  $63,410,685.  The  increase  was  due  to  the  enhanced 
prices  for  crude  oil  of  all  grades. 

Among  the  mineral  resources,  developed  and  undeveloped,  of  this 
section  are:  Antimony,  asphalt,  borax,  brick,  clay,  copper,  fuller's 
earth,  gems,  gold,  gypsum,  iron,  lead,  limestone,  magnesite,  marble, 
mineral  paint,  natural  gas,  petroleum,  potash,  salt,  silver,  soapstone, 

)da,  sulphur  and  tungsten. 


150  MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF    CALIFORNIA. 

Commercial  production  for  1919  was  as  follows: 

Substance                                                                                                                 Amount  Value 

Brick -- 1,709  M  $175,112 

Gold  ^230,000 

Lime    86,952  bbls.  112,724 

Natural  gas 25,363,739  M  cu.  ft.  1,618,913 

Petroleum  47,734,035  bbls.  64,440,947 

Salt 17,000  tons  81,000 

Silver ^457,000 

Stone,  miscellaneous 28,320 

Other  minerals* 9,345 


Total  value $67,153,361 

*Includes  fuller's  earth,  limestone,   and  quicksilver. 
^Estimated. 


KINGS. 

Area:  1,159  square  miles. 
Population:  22,031   (1920  census). 
Location:  South-central  portion  of  the  state. 

Little  development  has  taken  place  in  Kings  County  along  mineral 
lines  to  date.  Deposits  of  fuller's  earth,  gypsum,  mineral  paint,  natural 
gas,  and  quicksilver,  of  undetermined  extent,  have  been  found  in  the 
county.  Some  drilling  for  oil  has  been  under  way,  but  there  has,  as 
yet,  been  no  commercial  output  recorded.  The  increase  in  1919  was 
due  to  quicksilver. 

In  forty-sixth  place,  commercial  production  for  1919  was  as  follows: 

Substance  Amount  Value 

Natural  gas  ._  2,550  Mcu.  ft.  $1,630 

Other  minerals __     49,653 

Total  value -__  $51,283 


LAKE. 

Area:  1,278  square  miles. 
Population:  5,542  (1920  census). 
Location:  About  fifty  miles  north  of  San  Francisco  Bay  and  the    : 
same  distance  inland  from  the  Pacific  Ocean. 

On  account  of  its  topography  and  natural  beauties.  Lake  County  is 
sometimes  referred  to  as  the  Switzerland  of  America.  The  mineral 
resources  which  exist  here  are  many  and  varied,  actual  production 
being  comparatively  small,  as  shown  by  the  table  below,  and  composed 
mainly  of  quicksilver,  and  mineral  water.  Some  of  the  leading  minerals, 
found  in  this  section,  in  part  as, yet  undeveloped,  are  borax,  chromite, 


STATISTICS    OF    ANNUAL    PRODUCTION.  151 

clay,  copper,  gems,  gold,  gypsum,  mineral  water,  quicksilver,  silver, 
and  sulphur. 

In  forty-ninth  place,  commercial  production  for  1919  was  as  follows: 

Substance                                                                                                                 Amount  Value 

Mineral  water 62,839  gals.  $17,471 

Quicksilver    229  flasks  20.604 

Stone,  miscellaneous 1,200 

Other  minerals 1— -  100 

Total  value . $39,375 


LASSEN. 

.     Area:  4,531  square  miles. 

Popiilation:  8,507    (1920  census). 
Location:  Northeast  portion  of  state. 

Lassen  County  is  one  of  the  little  explored  sections  of  California. 
Since  about  1912  a  railroad  traversing  the  county  north  and  south 
has  been  in  operation,  thus  affording  opportunity  for  development  along 
mineral  and  other  lines. 

Among  the  mineral  resources  of  this  county  are  copper,  gems,  gypsum, 
gold,  silver,  and  sulphur.  In  the  past,  some  gold  has  been  produced, 
but  not  during  the  last  few  years. 

In  fifty-sixth  place,  commercial  production  for  1918  was  as  follows : 

Substance  Amount  Value 

Stone,  miscellaneous  $1,100 


LOS  ANGELES. 

Area:  4,067  square  miles. 

Population:  936,438  (1920  census). 

Location :  One  of  the  southwestern  coast  counties. 

Mineral  production  in  Los  Angeles  County  for  the  year  1919 
amounted  in  value  to  $23,606,381  as  compared  with  the  1918  output, 
worth  $16,006,628.  This  county  ranked  third  in  the  state  as  a  mineral 
producer  in  1919,  passing  Fresno,  which  was  fourth  in  1918.  The 
advance  was  due  to  the  large  increase  in  the  petroleum  output  and 
valuation. 

Its  output  of  brick  and  tile  was  over  a  million  dollars,  and  that  of 
petroleum  amounted  to  over  twenty  million  dollars.  Among  the  min- 
eral resources  may  be  noted  asphalt,  barytes,  borax,  brick,  clay,  fuller's 
earth,  gems,  gold,  gypsum,  infusorial  earth,  limestone,  marble,  mineral 
paint,  mineral  water,  natural  gas,  petroleum,  salt,  glass-sand,  sandstone, 
serpentine,  silver,  soapstone,  and  miscellaneous  stone.  Some  potash 
has  been  obtained  from  kelp. 


152  MINERAL  INDUSTRY  OF  CALIFORNIA. 

Commercial  production  for  1919  was  as  follows: 

Substance                                                                                                                       Amount  Value 

Brick  and  tile $1,185,154 

Clay 11,329  tons  33,343 

Mineral  water 125,400  gals.  8,787 

Natural  gas 4,148,476  M  cu.  ft.  458,812 

Petroleum   15,076,633  bbls.  20,805,754 

Stone,  miscellaneous  715,524 

Other  minerals* 399,007 


Total  value $23,606,381 

•Includes  borax,  gems,  graphite,  magnesium  salts,  manganese,  and  salt. 


MADERA. 
Area:  2,112  square  miles. 
Population:  12,203  {1920  census). 
Location :  East-central  portion  of  state. 

Madera  County  produced  five  mineral  substances  during  the  year 
1919,  having  a  total  value  of  $110,683,  as  compared  with  the  1918  out- 
put, worth  $114,327.  The  decrease  is  due  to  a  dropping  off  in  the  output 
of  copper,  though  granite  increased.  This  county  contains  deposits  of 
copper,  gold,  iron,  lead,  molybdenum,  pumice,  silver,  and  building 
stone. 

In  forty-second  place,  commercial  production  for  1919  was  as  follows : 

Substance  Amount  Value 

Copper 175.405  lbs.  $32,625 

Gold  ^8,000 

Granite 64,358 

Silver   ^4,200 

Stone,  miscellaneous  1,500 

Total  value  $110,683 

^Estimated. 

MARIN. 
Area:  529  square  miles. 
Population:  27,342   (1920  census). 
Location:  Adjoins  San  Francisco  on  the  north. 

Mineral  production  in  Marin  County  during  the  year  1919  reached 
a  value  of  $228,974,  as  compared  to  the  1918  output,  worth  $176,183, 
the  increase  being  due  to  crushed  rock,  and  brick.  This  county  is  not 
especially  prolific  in  minerals,  although  among  its  resources  along  these 
lines  are  brick,  gems,  manganese,  mineral  water,  soapstone,  and  mis- 
cellaneous stone. 

In  thirty-seventh  place,  commercial  production  for  1919  was : 

Substance  Amount  Value 

Stone,  miscellaneous $127,111 

Other  minerals* 101,863 

Total  value  $228,974 

•Includes  brick  and  mineral  water. 


STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAL   PRODUCTION.  153 

MARIPOSA. 

Area:  1,463  square  miles. 
Population:  2,775   (1920  census). 

Location :  Most   southerly   of   the   Mother   Lode   counties.     East- 
central  portion  of  state, 

Mariposa  County  is  one  of  the  distinctly  'mining'  counties  of  the 
state,  although  it  stands  but  thirtieth  on  the  list  of  counties  in  regard 
to  the  value  of  its  mineral  output  for  1919,  with  a  total  of  $410,535, 
as  compared  with  the  1918  figures  of  $352,504. 

Its  mineral  resources  are  varied;  among  the  more  important  items 
being  barytes,  copper,  gems,  gold,  lead,  marble,  silver,  slate,  soapstone, 
and  miscellaneous  stone. 

The  Yosemite  Valley  is  in  Mariposa  County. 

Commercial  production  for  1919  was  as  follows: 

Substance  Amount  Value 

Copper 24,879  lbs.  $4,627 

Gold    ^400,200 

Silver  ^5,500 

Stone,  miscellaneous  400 

Other  minerals 8 

Total  value  $410,535 

^Estimated. 


MENDOCINO. 

Area:  3,453  square  miles. 
Population:  24,116   (1920  census). 

Location :  Joins  Humboldt  County  on  the  south  and  bounded  by 
the  Pacific  Ocean  on  the  west. 

Mendocino's  annual  mineral  production  has  usually  been  small,  the 
1919  output  being  valued  at  $14,214,  ranking  it  fifty-first  among  the 
counties.  That  of  1918  was  worth  $108,388,  the  decrease  being  due  to 
chromite  and  manganese. 

Deposits  of,  in  part  undetermined  value,  of  asbestos,  chromite,  coal, 
copper,  graphite,  magnesite,  and  mineral  water  have  been  found,  as 
well  as  traces  of  gold  and  silver. 

Commercial  production  for  1919  was  as  follows: 

Subitanoe  Amount  Value 

Stone,  miscellaneous  $7,000 

Other  minerals*  7,214 


Total  value  - --  $14,214 

^Includes  chromite  and  platinum. 


354  MINERAL  INDUSTRY  OF  CALIFORNIA. 

MERCED. 

Area:  1,995  square  miles. 

Population:  24,579   (1920  census). 

Location :  About  tlie  geographical  center  of  the  state. 

Merced  County  as  a  whole  lies  in  the  San  Joaquin  Valley,  and  it 
figures  as  one  of  the  lesser  mineral-producing  counties  of  the  state. 
The  1919  mineral  output  was  valued  at  $40,350.  The  decrease  from 
the  value  of  $74,849  in  1918  was  due  to  gold.  Gold,  platinum,  and 
silver,  obtained  by  dredging,  for  several  years  were  among  the  impor- 
tant items.  Undeveloped  deposits  of  antimony,  magnesite,  quicksilver, 
and  limestone  have  been  noted  in  this  county  in  addition  to  the  fore- 
going. 

In  forty-eighth  place,  commercial  production  during  1919  was  as 
follows : 

Substance  Amount  Value 

Stone,  miscellaneous  $40,350 


MODOC. 

Area:  3,823  square  miles. 

Population:  5,425   (1920  census). 

Location:  The  extreme  northwest  corner  of  the  state. 

Modoc  County,  like  Lassen,  has  only  in  recent  years  had  the  benefit 
of  communication  with  the  outside  world  by  rail.  Among  its  known 
mineral  resources  are :  Clay,  coal,  gold,  iron,  quicksilver,  salt,  and  silver. 

In  fifty-third  place,  commercial  production  for  1919  was  as  follows : 

Sutetance  Amount  Value 

Stone,  miscellaneous  ___. $550 

Other  minerals* 8,120 

Total  value  $8,670 

•Includes  gold,  salt,  and  silver. 


MONO. 

Area :  3,030  square  miles. 

Population:  960  (1920  census). 

Locatio7i:  Is  bordered  by  the  State  of  Nevada  on  the  east  and  is 

about  in  the  central  portion  of  the  state  measured  on  a  north 

and  south  line. 

Gold  mining  has  been  carried  on  in  portions  of  Mono  County  for 
many  years,  although  taken  as  a  whole  it  lies  in  a  rather  inaccessible 
country  and  has  been  but  superficially  explored.  It  is  in  the  continu- 
ation of  the  highly  mineralized  belt  which  was  noted  in  Inyo  County 


STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAL   PRODUCTION.  155 

and  contains  among  other   mineral  resources  barytes,   clay,   copper, 
iiold,  limestone,  molybdenum,  pumice,  salt,  silver,  and  travertine. 
In  forty-fifth  place,  commercial  production  for  1919  was  as  follows : 

Substance  ^  Amount  Value 

Copper ".  539  lbs.  $100 

Gold    ^30,000 

Lead   1,556  lbs.  82 

Silver  ^22,500 

Total  value _.  $52,682 

lEstimated. 


MONTEREY. 

Area :  3,330  square  miles. 

Population:  27,980  (1920  census). 

Location :  West-central  portion  of  state,  bordering  on  Pacific  Ocean. 

Monterey  County  produced  eight  mineral  substances  during  the  year 
1919,  having  a  total  value  of  $133,504,  as  compared  with  the  1918  out- 
put worth  $119,687.  Its  mineral  resources  include  brick,  clay,  copper, 
coal,  dolomite,  feldspar,  fuller's  earth,  gold,  silver,  gypsum,  infusorial 
earth,  limestone,  mineral  water,  petroleum,  quicksilver,  glass-sand,  sand- 
stone, silver,  and  miscellaneous  stone. 

In  fortieth  place,  commercial  production  for  1919  was  as  follows : 

Substance  Amount  Value 

Dolomite    8,280  tons  $29,12«J 

Stone,  miscellaneous  _^ 73,031 

Other  minerals* 43,353 

Total  value  —  $148,504 

•Includes  bao'tes,  coal,  feldspar,  diatomaceous  eartli,  salt,  and  silica. 


NAPA. 

Area:  783  square  miles. 
Population:  20,678   (1920  census). 

Location:  Directly  north  of  San  Francisco  Bay — one  of  the  *bay 
counties.  * 

Napa,  because  of  its  production  of  structural  and  industrial  materials 
and  quicksilver,  stands  thirty-fifth  on  the  list  of  mineral-producing 
counties  in  California.  Its  mineral  resources  include  chromite,  copper, 
cement,  gypsum,  magnesite,  mineral  water,  quicksilver,  sandstone,  and 
miscellaneous  stone. 

In  1919,  the  value  of  the  output  decreased  to  $275,303  from  the  1918 
figure  of  $1,676,367,  due  mainly  to  cement  and  magnesite. 


156  MINERAL    INDUSTRY    OF    CALIFORNIA. 

Commercial  production  for  1919  was  as  follows : 

Substance  Amount  Value 

Magnesite   10,112  tons  $86,752 

Mineral  water 76,860  gals.  60,395 

Quicksilver  644  flasks  58,140 

Stone,  miscellaneous 70,016 


Total  value  $275,303 

NEVADA. 

Area:  974  square  miles. 

Population:  10,860   (1920  census). 

Location :  North  of  Lake  Tahoe,  on  the  eastern  border  of  the  state. 

Nevada,  one  of  the  mountain  counties  of  California,  has  in  recent 
years,  alternated  with  Amador  in  the  gold  lead,  but  both  were  passed 
by  Yuba  in  1918-1919.  Nevada  County  stands  ninth  on  the  list  in 
regard  to  the  value  of  its  total  mineral  output,  wdth  a  figure  of 
$3,068,010,  as  compared  with  the  1918  production  worth  $3,301,651. 
The  decrease  is  due  mainly  to  gold  and  chromite. 

While  this  county  actually  produces  mainly  gold  and  silver,  its 
resources  cover  a  wide  scope,  including  antimony,  asbestos,  barytes, 
bismuth,  chromite,  clay,  copper,  gems,  iron,  lead,  mineral  paint,  pyrite, 
soapstone,  and  tungsten. 

Commercial  production  for  1919  was  as  follows : 

Substance  Amount  Value 

Gold    - i$3,000,000 

Silver ^54,000 

Stone,  miscellaneous 1,976 

Other  minerals*  __. 12,034 

Total  value  $3,068,010 

*Includ?s   af«l)Ci^tos,    liarytfs,   chromite,   coiiju'r,   gianito,   liaii,   and   platinum. 
JEstiDiatcd. 


ORANGE. 

Area:  795  square  miles. 

Population:  61,375  (1920  census). 

Location:  South-western  portion  of  state,  bordering  Pacific  Ocean. 

Orange  County  is  one  of  the  many  in  California  which  on  casual 
inspection  appears  to  be  anything  but  a  mineral-producing  section. 
It  stands,  however,  as  the  second  county  in  the  state  in  regard  to  the 
total  value  of  mineral  output  for  1919,  its  highly  productive  oil  fields 
making  such  a  condition  possible. 


STATISTICS   OP   ANNUAL   PRODUCTION.  15 


This  county,  in  company  with  most  of  the  other  oil  counties,  shows 
a  gain  in  1919,  with  a  total  value  of  mineral  products  of  $27,848,727 
from  the  1918  output,  worth  $22,914,660.  It  passed  Shasta  County  in 
1917,  which  previously  for  a  number  of  years,  had  exceeded  all  other 
counties  in  California,  except  Kern. 

Aside  from  the  substances  actually  produced  and  noted  in  the  table 
l)ehnv.  coal,  gypsum,  iron,  infusorial  earth,  sandstone,  and  tourmaline 
have  been  found  in  Orange  County. 

Commercial  production  for  1919  was  as  follows : 

Sul)st:uice  Amount  Value 

Clay  and  clay  products $18,489 

Natural  gas  _ 12,039,355  M.  cu.  ft.  837,439 

Petroleum  14,458,722  bbls.  26,893,223 

Stone,  miscellaneous  1,944 

Other  minerals* 97,632 

Total  value $27,848,727 

*Inelu(1es  lead  and  potash. 


PLACER. 

Area:  1,395  square  miles. 

Population:  18,584  (1920  census). 

Location:  Eastern  border  of  state  directh^  west  of  Lake  Tahoe. 

While  standing  only  twenty-ninth  on  the  list  of  mineral-producing 
counties.  Placer  contains  a  wide  variety  of  mineral  substances,  some 
of  w-hich  have  not  been  commercially  exploited.  Its  leading  products 
are  gold,  chromite,  granite,  copper,  and  clay.  Other  mineral  resources 
are:  Asbestos,  brick,  chromite,  coal,  gems,  iron,  lead,  limestone,  mag- 
nesite,  manganese,  marble,  quartz  crystals,  glass-sand,  silver,  and  miscel- 
laneous stone. 

Commercial  production  for  1919  was  as  follows : 

Substance  Amount  Value 

Chromite  1,018  tons  $24,000 

Clay  and  clay  products 98,513 

Gold    ^230,000 

Granite  36.233 

Silver  — - '21,000 

Stone,  miscellaneous  4.330 

Other  minerals  1.055 

Total  value  $415,131 

^Estimated. 


158  MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF    CALIFORNIA. 

PLUMAS. 

Area :  2,594  square  miles. 

Population:  5,681  (1920  census). 

Location  :  Northeastern  border  of  state,  south  of  Lassen  County. 

A  considerable  portion  of  the  area  of  Plumas  County  lies  in  the  high 
mountains,  and  deposits,  of  the  metals,  especially  gold  and  copper,  are 
found  there.  Lack  of  transportation  and  other  facilities  have  retarded 
its  growth,  but  its  future  is  decidedly  promising.  Mineral  production 
for  1919  was  valued  at  $2,183,750,  as  compared  with  the  1918  output, 
worth  $8,092,694,  the  decrease  being  due  mainly  to  copper,  which 
dropped  the  county  from  twelfth  to  fifteenth  place  in  rank.  In  1919 
Plumas  passed  Shasta  in  the  copper  lead,  owing  to  the  Shasta  smelters 
being  closed  down. 

Among  its  mineral  resources  are:  Chromite,  copper,  gold,  granite, 
iron,  lead,  limestone,  manganese,  molybdenum,  platinum,  silver,  and 
zinc. 

Commercial  production  for  1919  was  as  follows: 

Substance  .  Amount  Value 

Copper : 10,193,951  lbs.  $1,896,075 

Gold    11301,000 

Silver  ^155,000 

Stone,  miscellaneous 850 

Other  minerals*  1,825 

Total  value  $2,183,750 

*Includes  limestone  and  manganese. 
^Estimated. 


RIVERSIDE. 
Area:  7,240  square  miles. 
Population:  60,297  (1920  census). 
Location:  Southern  portion  of  state. 

Riverside  is  the  fourth  county  in  the  state  in  size  and  the  thirteenth 
in  regard  to  the  total  value  of  mineral  output  for  1919.  Within  its 
borders  are  included  mountain,  desert,  and  agricultural  land.  Its 
mineral  resources  include  metals,  structural  and  industrial  materials, 
and  salines,  some  of  the  more  important  being  borax,  brick,  cement, 
clay,  coal,  copper,  feldspar,  gems,  gold,  gypsum,  iron,  lead,  limestone, 
manganese,  magnesite,  marble,  mineral  paint,  mineral  water,  salt,  glass- 
sand,  soapstone,  silver,  miscellaneous  stone,  and  tin.  In  point  of  variety 
Riverside  County  led  all  others  with  nineteen  different  minerals  com- 
mercially produced  in  1919,  passing  San  Bernardino  which  dropped 
from  twenty-five  to  seventeen. 

The  increase  in  1919  over  the  1918  value  of  $1,689,042  is  due  mainly 
to  cement. 


STATISTICS   OP  ANNUAL  PRODUCTION.  159 

Commercial  production  for  1919  was  as  follows : 

Substance                                                                                                                   Amount  Value 

Brick  and  tile ._    $224,379 

Clay    - 42,207  tons  61,006 

Copper 10,590  lbs.  1,970 

Gold    - ^400 

Granite  17,975 

Gypsum  200  tons  425 

Manganese    1,808  tons  49,324 

Silica    3,034  tons  15,112 

Silver  L ^,500 

Stone,  miscellaneous  102,399 

Other  minerals* 2,103,760 

Total  value  _ - $2,578,250 

*Iueludes  cement,  coal,  feltlspar,  fuller's  earth,  lead,  magnesite,  mineral  water  and  potash. 
^Estimated. 


SACRAMENTO. 

Area:  983  square  miles. 
Population:  90,978   (1920  census). 
Location:  North-central  portion  of  state. 

Sacramento  stands  fourteenth  among  the  counties  of  the  state  as  a 
mineral  producer,  the  output,  principally  gold,  for  1919  being  valued 
at  $2,275,827,  as  compared  with  the  1918  production,  worth  $2,102,597. 
In  regard  to  gold  output  alone  this  county  ranks  fourth,  being  exceeded 
only  by  Yuba,  Amador,  and  Nevada  counties.  Its  mineral  resources 
include:  Brick,  clay,  gold,  natural  gas,  platinum,  silver  and  miscel- 
laneous stone. 

Commercial  production  for  1919  was  as  follows: 

Substance  Amount  Value 

Clay  and  clay  products -— ' $113,000 

Gold    H.820,000 

Silver  - '5,000 

Stone,  miscellaneous 276,432 

Other  minerals* 61,395 

Total  value  —  $2,275,827 

•Includes  natural  gas  and  platinum. 
lEstimated. 


SAN   BENITO. 

Area:  1,392  square  miles. 
Population:  8,995  (1920  census). 
Location :  West-central  portion  of  state. 

Although  twenty-first  among  the  counties  of  the  state  in  regard  to 
value  of  total  mineral  production,  San  Benito  leads  in  one  important 
branch  of  the  mineral  industry,  namely,  quicksilver. 


160  MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

Its  other  mineral  resources,   many  of  them  undeveloped,  include: 

Antimony,  bituminous  rock,  chromite,  coal,  gypsum,  gems,  limestone,     , 
mineral  water,  soapstone,  and  miscellaneous  stone. 

Commercial  production  for  1919  was  as  follows: 

Substance                                                                                                                       Amount  Value 

Dolomite    7,000  tons  $24,500 

Quicksilver  7,409  flasks  668,989 

Stone,  miscellaneous  164,300 

Other  minerals* 418,687 

Total  value $1,276,476 

♦Includes  cement,   magnesite,   and  mineral  water. 


SAN  BERNARDINO. 

Area:  20,157  square  miles. 
Population:  73,401  (1920  census). 
Location :  Southeastern  portion  of  state. 

San  Bernardino,  by  far  the  largest  county  in  the  state,  in  area,  ranks 
sixth  as  regards  the  value  of  its  mineral  output  for  1919  with  a  total 
of  $4,236,199,  as  compared  with  the  1918  total  of  $7,632,790.  The 
decrease  is  due  mainly  to  potash  and  tungsten. 

San  Bernardino  for  several  years  led  all  other  counties  in  the  state  in 
point  of  variety  of  minerals,  producing  commercially  during  1918,  a 
total  of  25  different  substances  but  dropped  to  17  in  1919,  compared 
to  19  for  Riverside  County. 

This  county,  consisting  largely  of  mountain  and  desert  country,  is 
highly  mineralized,  the  following  being  included  among  its  resources: 
Asbestos,  barytes,  borax,  brick,  cement,  clay,  copper,  gems,  gold, 
granite,  gypsum,  iron,  lead,  limestone,  manganese,  marble,  mineral 
paint,  mineral  water^  nitre,  potash,  salt,  glass-sand,  soapstone,  soda, 
miscellaneous  stone,  strontium,  talc,  tungsten,  vanadium,  and  zinc. 

Commercial  production  for  1919  was  as  follows : 

Substance  Amount  Value 

Cement    1,078,943  bbls.  $1,717,998 

Copper 256,933  lbs.  47,790 

Gold    ^25,000 

Gypsum 19,613  tons  50,154 

Lead   .—     105,796  lbs.  5,607" 

Mineral  water . 800,060  gals.  32,006 

Potash 21,171  tons  1,670,919 

Silver  ^40,000 

Talc  3,601  tons  19,&45 

Stone,  miscellaneous  183,388 

Other  minerals*  443,492 

Total  value  — —  $4,236,199 

*Includes  borax,  clay,  dolomite,  gems,  lime  and  tungsten. 
^Estimated. 


STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAL   PRODUCTION.  161 

SAN  DIEGO. 

Area:  4,221  square  miles. 
Population:  112,248   (1920  census). 
Location:  Extreme  southwest  corner  of  state. 

San  Diego  ranks  thirty-first  in  the  total  value  of  its  mineral  output. 
This  figure  for  1919  equaled  $343,230,  as  compared  with  the  1918  out- 
put worth  $1,942,150,  the  drop  being  due  to  potash.  In  1918  for  the 
only  time  in  several  years,  there  was  no  production  of  gems,  in  which 
San  Diego  County  has  lead  the  state.  Aside  from  minerals  commer- 
cially produced,  as  shown  below,  San  Diego  County  contains  occur- 
rences of  bismuth,  lithia,  marble,  nickel,  soapstone,  and  tin.  Potash 
has  been  produced  from  kelp. 

A  development  of  the  past  four  years  is  the  shipping  of  pebbles  for 
grinding  mills. 

Commercial  production  for  1919  was  as  follows: 

Substance  Amount  Value 

Clay  and  clay  products $62,929 

Granite   15,215 

Salt  ._._  12,400  tons  52,800 

Stone,  miscellaneous  141,996 

Other  minerals* 70,290 

Total  value  $343,230 

♦Includes  copper,  gems,  gold  (estimated),  lithia,  mineral  water,  potash,  silica, 
and   silver    (estimated). 


SAN  FRANCISCO. 

Area :  43  square  miles. 
Popnlation:  506,676  (1920  census). 

Surprising  as  it  may  appear  at  first  glance,  San  Francisco  County 
is  listed  among  the  mineral  producing  sections  of  the  state,  actual 
production  consisting  of  crushed  rock,  sand,  and  gravel.  Small  quan- 
tities of  various  valuable  mineral  substances  are  found  here,  including 
cinnabar,  gypsum,  lignite,  and  magnesite,  none,  however,  in  paying 
quantities. 

In  fifty-third  place,  commercial  production  for  1919  was  as  follows: 

Substance  Amount  Value 

Stone,  miscellaneous  $65,541 


11-451)8 


162  MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

SAN  JOAQUIN. 

Area:  1,448  square  miles. 
Population:  79,905   (1920  census). 
Location :  Central  portion  of  state. 

San  Joaquin  County  reported  a  mineral  production  for  the  year  1919 
having  a  total  value  of  $449,000,  as  compared  with  the  1918  output, 
worth  $601,973,  the  decrease  being  due  mainly  to  brick  and  manganese. 
Comparatively  few  mineral  substances  are  found  here,  the  chief  ones 
being  brick,  clay,  manganese,  natural  gas,  glass-sand,  and  miscellaneous 
stone.  Gold,  platinum,  and  silver  are  obtained  by  dredging  in  the 
Mokelumne  River,  which  forms  the  boundary  between  this  county  and 
Amador  on  the  northeast. 

In  twenty-eighth  place,  commercial  production  for  1919  was  as 
follows : 

Substance  Amount  Value 

Brick . $231,478 

Manganese 343  tons  10,274 

Natural  gas 200,943  M.  cu.  ft.  76,200 

Stone,  miscellaneous  59,510 

Other  minerals*  71,538 

Total  value  "  $449,000 

•Includes  gold,  platinum,  and  silver. 


SAN  LUIS  OBISPO. 

Area:  3,334  square  miles. 
Population:  21,893  (1920  census). 

Location:  Bordered  by  Kern  County  on  the  east  and  the  Pacific 
Ocean  on  the  west. 

The  total  value  of  the  mineral  production  of  San  Luis 'Obispo  County 
in  1919  was  $212,430,  as  compared  with  the  1918  output,  worth  $858,679, 
the  decrease  being  due  to  chromite  and  manganese.  Among  its  mineral 
resources  both  developed  and  undeveloped,  are:  Asphalt,  bituminous 
rock,  brick,  chromite,  coal,  copper,  gypsum,  infusorial  earth,  iron, 
limestone,  marble,  mineral  water,  onyx,  petroleum,  quicksilver,  and 
miscellaneous  stone. 

In  thirty-eighth  place,  commercial  production  for  1919  was  as  follows : 

Substance  Amount  Value 

Chromite  1,158  tons  $26,431 

Petroleum  . 31.656  bbls.  32,922 

Stone,  miscellaneous   20,300 

Other  minerals* _ ___ 132,777 

Total  value  _ ___ $212,430 

•Includes  bituminous  rock,  manganese,  quicksilver,  sandstone,  and  soda. 


STATISTICS   OP   ANNUAL   PRODUCTION.  163 

SAN    MATEO. 

Area:  447  square  miles. 

Population:  36,781  (1920  census). 

Location:  Peninsula,  adjoined  by  San  Francisco  on  the  north. 

San  Mateo's  most  important  mineral  products  are  stone,  and  salt, 
the  last-named  being  derived  by  evaporation  from  the  waters  of  San 
Francisco  Bay.  The  total  value  of  all  mineral  production  during  1919 
equaled  $241,671,  as  compared  with  the  1918  figures  of  $193,812. 

Small  amounts  of  barytes,  chromite,  infusorial  earth,  and  quicksilver 
liave  been  noted  in  addition  to  the  items  of  economic  value  given  below. 
Bricks  have  also  been  produced  commercially. 

In  thirty-sixth  place,  commercial  production  for  1919  was  as  follows: 

Substance  Amount  Value 

Salt  30,238  tons  $136,190 

Stone,  miscellaneous 42,235 

Other  minerals*  63,246 

Total  value $241,671 

*Includes  magnesium  salts  and  potash. 

SANTA   BARBARA. 

Area:  2,740  square  miles. 
Population:  41,097  (1920  census). 

Location :  South-western  portion  of  state,  joining  San  Luis  Obispo 
on  the  south. 

Santa  Barbara  County  owes  its  position  of  fifth  in  the  state  in  regard 
to  its  mineral  output  to  the  presence  of  productive  oil  fields  within  its 
boundaries.  The  total  value  of  its  mineral  production  during  the  year 
1919  was  $7,594,917,  as  compared  with  the  1918  output  of  $10,051,831. 
Santa  Barbara  was  the  only  important  oil-producing  county  to  show 
a  decrease  in  petroleum  valuation  for  1919. 

Aside  from  the  mineral  substances  listed  below,  Santa  Barbara 
County  contains  asphalt,  diatomaceous  earth,  gilsonite,  gypsum,  mag- 
nesite,  and  quicksilver  in  more  or  less  abundance. 

Commercial  production  for  1919  was  as  follows : 

Substance  Amount  Value 

Mineral  water  _ -      82,147  gals.  $81,041 

Natural  gas _._  4,084,709  M.  cu.  ft.  336,092 

Petroleum  J 6,089,082  bbls.  6,850,217 

Potash    — - 298  tons  30,128 

Stone,  miscellaneous 29,900 

Other  minerals*  267,539 

Total  value _ $7,594,917 

*Includes  bituminous  rock,  chromite,  brick,  diatomaceous  earth,  and  limestone. 


164  MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

SANTA   CLARA. 

Area:  1,328  square  miles. 
Population:  100,588  (1920  census). 
Location:  West-central  portion  of  state. 

Santa  Clara  County  reported  a  mineral  output  for  1919  of  $1,048,571, 
as  compared  with  the  1918  figures  of  $1,759,568,  the  decrease  being  due 
to  potash,  manganese  and  quicksilver. 

This  county,  lying  largely  in  the  Coast  Range  Mountains,  contains 
a  wide  variety  of  mineral  substances,  including  brick,  chromite,  clay, 
limestone,  magnesite,  manganese,  mineral  water,  petroleum,  quicksilver, 
soapstone,  and  miscellaneous  stone.  It  stood  second  in  quicksilver 
yield  for  the  year. 

In  twenty-second  place,  commercial  production  for  1919  was  as 
follows  : 

Substance  Amount  Value 

Brick 7,250  M.  $65,000 

Clay    : 2,532  tons  2,232 

Magnesite   10,912  tons  128,924 

Manganese    102  tons  3,321 

Petroleum 16,724  bbls.  26,695 

Quicksilver  3,012  flasks  271,762 

Stone,  miscellaneous ~_ 73,237 

Other  minerals* 477,400 

Total  value  $1,048,571 

*includes  limestone,  mineral  water,  and  pota^ih. 


SANTA    CRUZ. 

Area:  435  square  miles. 
Population:  26,269  (1920  census). 

Location:  Bordering    Pacific    Ocean,    just    south    of    San    Mateo 
County. 

The  mineral  output  of  Santa  Cruz  County,  a  portion  of  which  is 
itemized  below,  amounted  to  a  total  value  of  $2,245,056,  giving  the 
county  a  standing  of  fifteenth  among  all  others  in  the  state  in  this 
regard. 

Commercial  production  for  1919  was  as  follows : 

Substance  .  Amount  Value 

Lime   150,271  bbls.  $234,039 

Limestone  5,527  tons  12,690 

Stone,  miscellaneous  17,074 

Other  minerals*  1,981,253 

Total  value $2,245,056 

•Includes  bituminous  rock,  cement,  and  potash. 


STATISTICS   OP   ANNUAL  PRODUCTION.  165 

SHASTA. 

Area:  3,858  square  miles. 
Population:  13,311  (1920  census). 
Location :  North-central  portion  of  state. 

Shasta  County  stood  eleventh  in  California  among  the  mineral- 
producing  counties  for  1919,  with  an  output  valued  at  $2,912,718,  as 
compared  with  the  1918  production  worth  $8,098,671.  The  marked 
decrease  both  in  1918  and  1919  was  due  to  the  falling  off  in  the  output 
of  copper,  the  large  plants  of  the  Mammoth  and  Mountain  copper  com- 
panies being  shut  down  most  of  the  year.  Not  taking  petroleum  into 
account,  Shasta  for  a  number  of  years  lead  all  of  the  counties  by  a  wide 
margin ;  but  in  1919  was  passed  by  San  Bernardino,  Yuba,  Amador,  and 
Nevada  among  the  'metal'  counties. 

Shasta's  mineral  resources  include :  Asbestos,  barytes,  brick,  chromite, 
coal,  copper,  gold,  iron,  lead,  lime,  limestone,  mineral  water,  molyb- 
denum, pyrite,  silver,  soapstone,  miscellaneous  stone,  and  zinc. 

Lassen  Peak  is  located  in  southeastern  Shasta  County, 

Commercial  production  for  1919  was  as  follows: 

Substance  Amount  Value 

Copper    8,673,342  lbs.  $1,613,242 

Gold    _____• 1525,000 

Lime  and  limestone 29,100 

Platinum   „_  121  oz.  21,075 

Pyrite   138,046  tons  497,398 

Silver  ^155,000 

Stone,  miscellaneous 31,750 

Other  minerals* - 40,153 

Total  value  $2,912,718 

*Includes  barytes,  brick,  iron  ore,  lead,  mineral  water,  and  zinc. 
^Estimated. 


SIERRA. 

Area:  923  square  miles. 

PopiUation:  1,783  {19^0   census). 

Location :  Eastern  border  of  state,  just  north  of  Nevada  County. 

Sierra  County  reported  a  mineral  production  of  $292,950,  consisting 
mainly  of  gold  and  silver,  during  the  year  1919,  as  compared  with  the 
1918  output,  worth  $331,501,  the  decrease  being  due  to  chromite.  Con- 
sidering gold  output  alone,  this  county  stands  tenth ;  and  as  to  total 
mineral  yield  thirty-third. 

Aside  from  the  metals  itemized  below.  Sierra  County  contains 
deposits  of  asbestos,  chromite,  copper,  iron,  lead,  platinum,  minerals, 
serpentine,  and  talc. 


16G  MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

Commercial  production  for  1919  was  as  follows: 

Substance                                                                                                                 Amount  Value 

Gold    ^$290,000 

Silver    _ __,    i2,200     ; 

Stone,  miscellaneous __.    ___ 750 


Total  value  ___ $292,950    i 

^Estimated. 


SISKIYOU. 

Area :  6,256  square  miles. 
Population:  18,545   (1920  census). 

Location:  Extreme  north-central  portion  of  state,  next  to  Oregon 
boundary. 

Siskiyou,  fifth  county  in  California  in  regard  to  size,  located  in  a 
liighly  mineralized  and  mountainous  country,  ranks  twenty-fourth  in 
regard  to  the  value  of  its  mineral  output  for  1919.  The  advance  in 
rank  from  thirty-ninth  in  1917,  was  due  to  chromite,  notwithstanding 
the  losses  in  copper,  gold  and  miscellaneous  stone.  The  decrease  in 
1919  was  due  mainly  to  stoppage  of  chromite  mining.  Although  the 
county  is  traversed^  by  a  transcontinental  railroad  in  a  north  and  south 
line,  the  mineral-bearing  sections  are  almost  without  exception  far 
from  transportation  and  other  facilities.  A  large  part  of  the  county 
is  accessible  by  trail  alone.  Future  development  and  exploitation  will 
doubtless  increase  the  productiveness  of  this  part  of  the  state  to  a 
great  degree. 

Mount  Shasta  is  located  in  Siskiyou  County. 

Among  Siskiyou's  mineral  resources  are:  Chromite,  clay,  coal,  cop- 
per, gems,  gold,  lead,  limestone,  manganese,  marble,  mineral  water, 
pumice,  quicksilver,  sandstone,  silver,  and  miscellaneous  stone. 

Commercial  production  for  1919  was  as  follows: 

Substance  Amount  Value 

Chromite  510  tons  $13,379 

Gold    , ■- ^350,000 

Mineral  water  451,500  gals.  90,375 

Platinum  7  oz.  1,015 

Silver  H6,000 

Stone,  miscellaneous __ 26,405 

Other  minerals*  _  ._ 111,294 

Total  value  -    — — -  $608,468 

*Includes  copper,  limestone,  pumice,  and  quicksilver. 
^Estimated. 


STATISTICS   OP   ANNUAL  PRODUCTION.  167 

SOLANO. 

Area:  822  square  miles. 

Pojnilation:  40,602   (1920  census). 

Location :  Touching  San  Francisco  Bay  on  the  northeast. 

Solano,  while  mostly  valley  land,  produced  mineral  substances  during 
the  year  1919  to  the  total  value  of  $1,672,084,  ranking  eighteenth 
among  the  counties  of  the  state,  the  increase  over  1918  being  due  to 
cement.  Among  her  mineral  resources  are:  Brick,  cement,  clay,  fuller *s 
earth,  limestone,  mineral  water,  natural  gas,  onyx,  petroleum,  quick- 
silver, salt,  and  miscellaneous  stone. 

Commercial  production  for  1919  was  as  follows : 

Substance  Amount  Value 

Stone,  miscellaneous $44,156 

Other  minerals* 1,627,928 

Total  value  $1,672,084 

♦Includes  cement,  fuller's  earth,  mineral  water,  natural  gas,  and  quicksilver. 


SONOMA. 

Area:  1,577  square  miles. 
Population:  51,990   (1920  census). 

Location:  South  of  Mendocino  County,  bordering  on  the  Pacific 
Ocean. 

Sonoma  ranked  thirty-fourth  among  the  counties  of  California 
during  the  year  1919,  with  a  mineral  production  of  $286,038,  as  com- 
pared with  its  1918  output  worth  $586,391,  the  decrease  being  due 
mainly  to  chromite,  magnesite,  and  quicjailver.  More  paving  blocks 
have  been  turned  out  here  than  in  any  other  section  of  the  state. 

Among  Sonoma's  mineral  resources  are:  Brick,  chromite,  clay,  cop- 
per, graphite,  infusorial  earth,  magnesite,  manganese,  marble,  mineral 
paint,  mineral  water,  quicksilver,  and  miscellaneous  stone. 

Commercial  production  for  1919  was  as  follows : 

Substance  Amount  Value 

Building  stone  and  curbing $62 

Mineral  water 96,800  gals.  22,820 

Quicksilver 1,418  flasks  119,142 

Stone,  miscellaneous 144,014 

Total  value  _ $286,088 


168  MINERAL  INDUSTRY  OF  CALIFORNIA. 

STANISLAUS. 

Area :  1,450  square  miles. 

Population:  43,557   (1920  census). 

Location :  Center  of  state,  bounded  on  south  by  Merced  County. 

Gold  has  usually  been  the  chief  mineral  product  of  Stanislaus  County, 
but  it  was  exceeded  in  1918-1919  by  manganese.  Brick,  clay,  gypsum, 
iron,  mineral  paint,  quicksilver,  and  silver  are  found  here  to  some 
extent  as  well.  This  county,  for  1919  ranks  twenty-fifth  in  the  state 
in  regard  to  value  of  minerals,  with  an  output  of  $590,326  as  compared 
with  $453,913  in  1918,  the  increase  being  due  mainly  to  gold  and  man- 
ganese.    Gold,  platinum,  and  silver  are  obtained  mainly  by  dredging. 

Commercial  production  for  1919  was  as  follows : 

Substance  Amount  Value 

Magnesite   2,031  tons  $20,831 

Manganese    8,921  tons  374,584 

Stone,  miscellaneous  28,922 

Other  minerals*  165,989 

Total  value $590,326 

•Includes  gold  (estimated),  mineral  paint,  platinum,  and  silver  (estimated). 


SUTTER. 

Area:  608  square  miles. 
Population:  10,115  (1920  census). 

Location :  Bounded  by  Butte  County  on  the  north  and  Sacramento 
on  the  south. 

Sutter  is  one  of  only  two  counties  in  the  state  which  for  a  number  of 
years  reported  no  commercial  output  of  some  kind  of  mineral  substance. 
In  1917  some  crushed  rock  was  taken  out,  from  the  Marysville  Buttes, 
but  there  was  no  production  in  1918,  nor  1919.  Both  coal  and  clay 
exist  here,  but  deposits  of  neither  mineral  have  been  placed  on  a  pro- 
ductive basis. 


TEHAMA. 

Area:  2,893  square  miles. 
Population:  12,882  (1920  census). 

Location :  North-central  portion  of  the  state,  bounded  on  the  north 
by  Shasta. 

Tehama  stands  fifty-second  among  the  fifty-six  mineral-producing 
counties  of  the  state  for  1919,  when  its  output  was  valued  at  $9,000,  as 


I 


STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAL   PRODUCTION.  169 

compared  with  the  1918  yield  worth  $157,591.  The  advance  in  1918 
and  the  drop  in  1919  was  due  to  chromite. 

Among  its  mineral  resources  are  listed :  Brick,  chromite,  copper,  gold, 
manganese,  marble,  mineral  water,  salt,  and  miscellaneous  stone. 

Commercial  production  for  1919  was  as  follows : 

Substance  Amount  Value 

Stone,  miscellaneous _ $7,500 

Other  minerals  _ __ ___ 1,500 

Total  value _ $9,000 


TRINITY. 

Area:  3,166  square  miles. 
Papulation:  2,551  (1920  census). 
Location:  Northwestern  portion  of  state. 

Trinity,  like  Siskiyou  Ck)unty,  requires  transportation  facilities  to 
further  the  development  of  its  many  and  varied  mineral  resources. 
Deposits  of  asbestos,  barytes,  chromite,  copper,  gold,  mineral  water, 
platinum,  quicksilver,  silver,  and  building  stone  are  known  here,  but 
with  the  exception  of  gold,  chromite,  copper,  and  platinum,  very  little 
active  production  of  these  mineral  substances  has  been  made  as  yet. 
The  1919  output  of  $536,783  shows  a  decrease  from  the  1918  figure 
of  $707,524,  due  mainly  to  chromite  and  copper. 

In  the  twenty-sixth  place,  commercial  output  for  1919  was: 

Substance  Amount  Value 

Gold    ^$500,000 

Silver  __.  ^7,500 

Stone,  miscellaneous ^ - 11,839 

Other  minerals* 17,444 

Total  value  - —-  $536,783 

*Includes  copper,  mineral  water,  platinum,  and  quicksilver. 
^Estimated. 


TULARE. 

Area :  4,856  square  miles. 
Population:  59,031  (1920  census). 

Location :  Bounded  by  Inyo  on  the  east,  Kern  on  the  south,  Fresno 
on  the  north, 

Tulare  stands  thirty-second  on  the  list  of  mineral-producing  counties, 
the  drop  from  the  1918  value  being  due  to  magnesite.  This  county  ^s 
mineral  resources,  among  others,  are:  Brick,  clay,  cx)pper,  feldspar, 
graphite,  gems,  limestone,  magnesite,  marble,  quartz,  glass-sand,  soap- 
stone,  miscellaneous  stone,  and  zinc.     Tulare  for  a  number  of  years  has 


170  MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF    CALIFORNIA. 

led  the  state  in  magnesite  output,  except  in  1918,  when  it  was  passed 
by  Napa  County. 

Commercial  production  for  1919  was  as  follows : 

Substance                                                                                                                 Amount  Value 

Brick  and  tile. _ $34,978 

Limestone  10,347  tons  46,388 

Magnesite  -     18,765  tons  186,601 

Natural  gas 700  M.  cu.  f t.  295 

Stone,  miscellaneous 10,811 

Other  minerals* 51,928 

E'      m         .  ■  '..  

Total  value _ - $331,001 

•Includes  eliromitc,  feldspar,  and  granite. 


TUOLUMNE.       . 

Area:  2,190  square  miles. 

Population:  7,768  (1920  census). 

Location:  East-central  portion  of  state — Mother  Lode  district. 

Tuolumne  ranks  twenty-seventh  among  the  counties  of  the  'state 
relative  to  its  total  value  of  mineral  output.  As  a  producer  of  marble 
Its  standing  is  first.  The  decrease  in  1919  to  $459,396  from  the  1918 
figure  of  $602,278  was  due  to  chromite. 

Chromite,  clay,  copper,  gold,  lead,  limestone,  marble,  mineral  paint, 
platinum,  soapstone,  silver,  and  miscellaneous  stone,  are  among  its 
mineral  resources. 

Commercial  production  for  1919  was  as  follows: 

Substance  Amount  Value 

Gold    _-_,    ^$250,000 

Lime  and  limestone •—    110,746 

Silver  ^7,000 

Stone,  miscellaneous 2,700 

Other  minerals* _ 78,950  ! 


Total  value $459,396 

*Includes  chromite,  copper,  granite,  and  marble. 
1  Estimated. 


VENTURA. 

Area:  1,878  square  miles. 
Population:  28,724  (1920  census). 

Location:  Southwestern    portion    of    state,    bordering    on   Pacific 
Ocean. 

Ventura  is  the  tenth  county  in  the  state  in  respect  to  the  value  of 
its  mineral  production  for  1919,  the  exact  figure  being  $3,017,074,  as 
compared  with  the  output  for  1918,  worth  $2,186,311,  the  advance  being  1 
due  to  petroleum. 


STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAL  PRODUCTION.  171 

The  highest  gravity  petroleum  produced  in  the  state  is  found  here. 
Among  its  other  mineral  resources  are:  Asphalt,  borax,  brick,  clay, 
mineral  water,  natural  gas,  sandstone,  and  miscellaneous  stone. 
The  commercial  production  for  1919  was  as  follows: 

Substance  Amount  Value 

Clay  and  clay  products $4,550 

Natural  gas 1,038,574  M.cu.ft.  252,240 

Petroleum  1,685,073  bbls.  2,755,094 

Stone,  miscellaneous .  5,000 

Other  minerals 190 

Total  value  _ -    - - $3,017,074 


YOLO. 

Area:  1,014  square  miles. 
Population:  17,105  ( 1920  census) . 

Location:  Sacramento  Valley,  bounded  by  Sutter  on  the  east  and 
Colusa  on  the  north. 

The  mineral  production  from  Yolo  County  during  the  year  1919 
consisted  mainly  of  quiclsilver  and  miscellaneous  stone,  valued  at 
$25,466,  ranking  it  in  fiftieth  place.  Deposits  of  undetermined  value  of 
iron  and  sandstone  have  been  discovered  within  the  confines  of  this 
county. 

Commercial  production  for  1919  was  as  follows: 

Substance  Amount  Value 

Stone,  miscellaneous $5,600 

Other  minerals  19,866 

Total  value - $25,466 


YUBA. 

Area:  639  square  miles. 
Population:  10,375  (1920  census). 

Location:   Lies  west   of   Sierra   and   Nevada   counties;  south   of 
Plumas. 

Yuba  is  seventh  of  the  fifty-six  mineral  producing  counties  of  the 
state,  and  leads  in  regard  to  gold  output,  surpassing  both  Nevada  and 
Amador  counties  in  1918-1919  in  gold  yield.  Iron  and  clay  deposits 
have  been  reported  in  this  county,  aside  from  the  following  commer- 
cial production  shown  for  the  year  1919 : 

Substance  Amount  Value 

Gold    — - ^$3,875,000 

Platinum 125  oz.  13.098 

Silver  - - — ^15.000 

Stone,  miscellaneous _ - 40,439 

Total  value  - $3,943,537 

^Estimated. 


MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

CHAPTER  EIGHT. 
APPENDIX. 


MINING   BUREAU   ACT. 

Chapter  679. 
[Stats.,  1913.] 

An  act  establishing  a  state  mining  bureau,  creating  the  office  of  state  mineralogist, 
fixing  his  salary  and  prescribing  his  powers  and  duties;  providing  for  the 
employment  of  officers  and  employees  of  said  bureau,  mal<ing  it  the  duty  of 
persons  In  charge  of  mines,  mining  operations  and  quarries  to  maVce  certain- 
reports,  providing  for  the  investigation  of  mining  operations,  dealings  and 
transactions  and  the  prosecution  for  defrauding,  swindling  and  cheating  therein, 
creating  a  state  mining  bureau  fund  for  the  purpose  of  carrying  out  the  provisions 
of  this  act  and  repealing  an  act  entitled  "An  act  to  provide  for  the  establishment, 
maintenance,  and  support  of  a  bureau,  to  be  known  as  the  state  mining  bureau, 
and  for  the  appointment  and  duties  of  a  board  of  trustees,  to  be  known  as  the 
board  of  trustees  of  the  state  mining  bureau,  who  shall  have  the  direction,  man- 
agement and  control  of  said  state  mining  bureau,  and  to  provide  for  the  appoint- 
ment, duties,  and  compensation  of  a  state  mineralogist,  who  shall  perform  the 
duties  of  his  office  under  the  control,  direction  and  supervision  of  the  board  of 
trustees  of  the  state  mining  bureau,"  approved  IVIarch  23,  1893,  and  all  acts 
amendatory  thereof  and  supplemer.tai  thereto  or  in  conflict  herewith. 

[Approved  June  16,  1913.     In  effect  August  10,  1913.] 
The  people  of  the  State  of  California  do  enact  as  follows: 

Section  1.  There  is  hereby  created  and  established  a  state  mining  bureau.  The 
chief  oflScer  of  such  bureau  shall  be  the  state  mineralogist,  which  office  is  hereby 
created. 

Sec.  2.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  governor  of  the  State  of  California  and  he  is 
hereby  empowered  to  appoint  a  citizen  and  resident  of  this  state,  having  a  practical 
and  scientific  knowledge  of  mining,  to  the  office  of  state  mineralogist.  Said  state 
mineralogist  shall  hold  his  office  at  the  pleasure  of  the  governor.  He  shall  be  a  civil 
executive  officer.  He  shall  take  and  subscribe  the  same  oath  of  office  as  other 
state  officers.  He  shall  receive  for  his  services  a  salary  of  three  hundred  dollars 
($300)  per  month,  to  be  paid  at  the  same  time  and  in  the  same  manner  as  the 
salaries  of  other  state  officers.  He  shall  also  receive  his  necessary  traveling 
expenses  when  traveling  on  the  business  of  his  office.  He  shall  give  bond  for  the 
faithful  performance  of  his  duties  in  the  sum  of  ten  thousand  dollars  ($10,000), 
said  bond  to  be  approved  by  the  governor  of  the  State  of  .California, 

Sec.  3.  Said  state  mineralogist  shall  employ  competent  geologists,  field  assistants, 
qualified  specialists  and  office  employees  when  necessary  in  the  execution  of  his 
plans  and  operations  of  the  bureau,  and  fix  their  compensation.  The  said  employees 
shall  be  allowed  their  necessary  traveling  expenses  when  traveling  on  the  business  of 
said  department  and  shall  hold  office  at  the  pleasure  of  said  state  mineralogist. 

Sec.  4.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  said  state  mineralogist  to  make,  facilitate,  and 
encourage,  special  studies  of  the  mineral  resources  and  mineral  industries  of  the 
state.  It  shall  be  his  duty :  to  collect  statistics  concerning  the  occurrence  and  pro- 
ilnction  of  the  economically  important  minerals  and  the  methods  pursued  in  making 
their  valuable  constituents  available  for  commercial  use ;  to  make  a  collection  of 
typical  geological  and  mineralogical  specimens,  especially  those  of  economic  and 
commercial  importance,  such  collection  constituting  the  museum  of  the  state  mining 
bureau ;  to  provide  a  library  of  books,  reports,  drawings,  bearing  upon  the  mineral 
industries,  and  sciences  of  mineralogy  and  geology,  and  arts  of  mining  and  metallurgy, 
such  library  constituting  the  library  of  the  state  mining  bureau ;  to  make  a 
collection  of  models,  drawings  and  descriptions  of  the  mechanical  appliances  used 
in  mining  and  metallurgical  processes ;  to  preserve  and  so  maintain  such  collections 


APPENDIX.  173 

and  library  as  to  make  them  available  for  reference  and  examination,  and  open  to 
public  inspection  at  reasonable  hours ;  to  maintain,  in  effect,  a  bureau  of  information 
concerning  the  mineral  industries  of  this  state,  to  consist  of  such  collections  and 
library,  and  to  arrange,  classify,  catalogue,  and  index  the  data  therein  contained,  in 
a  manner  to  make  the  information  available  to  those  desiring  it ;  to  issue  from  time 
to  time  such  bulletins  as  he  may  deem  advisable  concerning  the  statistics  and  tech- 
nology of  the  mineral  industries  of  this  state. 

Sec.  5.  It  is  hereby  made  the  duty  of  the  owner,  lessor,  lessee,  agent,  manager 
or  other  person  in  charge  of  each  and  every  mine,  of  whatever  kind  or  character, 
within  the  state,  to  forward  to  the  state  mineralogist,  upon  his  request,  at  his  office 
not  later  than  the  thirtieth  day  of  June,  in  each  year,  a  detailed  report  upon  forms 
which  will  be  furnished  showing  the  character  of  the  mine,  the  number  of  men  then 
employed,  the  method  of  working  such  mine  and  the  general  condition  thereof,  the 
total  mineral  production  for  the  past  year,  and  such  owner,  lessor,  lessee,  agent, 
manager  or  other  person  in  charge  of  any  mine  within  the  state  must  furnish 
whatever  information  relative  to  such  mine  as  the  state  mineralogist  may  from 
time  to  time  require  for  the  proper  discharge  of  his  official  duties.  Any  owner, 
lessor,  lessee,  agent,  manager  or  other  person  in  charge  of  each  and  every  mine,  of 
whatever  kind  or  character  within  the  state,  who  fails  to  comply  with  the  above 
provisions  shall  be  deemed  guilty  of  a  misdemeanor.* 

Sec.  G.  The  state  mineralogist  now  performing  the  duties  of  the  office  of  state 
mineralogist  shall  perform  the  duties  of  the  office  of  state  mineralogist  as  in  this 
act  provided  until  the  appointment  and  qualification  of  his  successor  as  in  this  act 
provided. 

Sec.  7.  The  said  state  mineralogist  shall  take  possession,  charge  and  control  of 
the  offices  now  occupied  and  used  by  the  board  of  trustees  and  state  mineralogist 
and  the  museum,  library  and  laboratory  of  the  mining  bureau  located  in  San  Fran- 
cisco as  provided  for  by  a  certain  act  of  the  legislature  approved  March  23,  1893, 
and  hereafter  referred  to  in  section  fourteen  hereof,  and  shall  maintain  such  offices, 
museum,  library  and  laboratory  for  the  purposes  provided  in  this  act. 

Sec.  8.  Said  state  mineralogist  or  qualified  assistant  shall  have  full  power  and 
authority  at  any  time  to  enter  or  examine  any  and  all  mines,  quarries,  jvells,  mills, 
reduction  works,  refining  works  and  other  mineral  properties  or  working  plants  in 
this  state  in  order  to  gather  data  to  comply  with  the  provisions  of  this  act. 

Sec.  9.  The  state  mineralogist  shall  make  a  biennial  report  to  the  governor  on 
or  before  the  fifteenth  day  of  September  next  preceding  the  regular  session  of  the 
legislature. 

Sec.  10.  All  moneys  received  by  the  state  mining  bureau  or  any  officer  thereof 
(except  such  as  may  be  paid  to  them  by  the  state  for  disbursement)  shall  be 
receipted  for  by  the  state  mineralogist  or  other  officer  authorized  by  him  to  act  in 
his  place  and  at  least  once  a  month  accounted  for  by  him  to  the  state  controller  and 
paid  into  the  state  treasury  to  the  credit  of  a  fund  which  is  hereby  created  and 
designated  "state  mining  bureau  fund."  All  moneys  now  in  the  possession  of  the 
state  mining  bureau  or  any  officer  thereof  received  from  any  source  whatsoever, 
shall  be  immediately  paid  over  to  the  state  mineralogist  and  by  him  accounted  for 
to  the  controller  and  paid  into  the  state  treasury  to  the  credit  of  said  fund.  Said 
fund  shall  be  used  and  is  hereby  appropriated  for  the  use  of  said  bureau  in  carrying 
out  the  purposes  of  this  act. 

Sec.  11.  The  said  state  mineralogist  is  hereby  authorized  and  empowered  to 
receive  on  behalf  of  this  state,  for  the  use  and  benefit  of  the  state  mining  bureau, 
gifts,  bequests,  devices  and  legacies  of  real  or  other  property  and  to  use  the  same  in 
accordance  with  the  wishes  of  the  donors,  and  if  no  instructions  are  given  by  said 
donors,  to  manage,  use,  and  dispose  of  the  gifts  and  bequests  and  legacies  for  the 
best  interests  of  said  state  mining  bureau  and  in  such  manner  as  he  may  deem  proper. 


*Sec.  19  of  the  Penal  Code  of  California  provides:  "Except  in  cases  where  a  difCer- 
';  ent  punishment  is  prescribed  by  this  code,  every  offense  declared  to  be  a  misde- 
f  meanor  is  punishable  by  imprisonment  in  a  county  jail  not  exceeding  six  months,  or 
'       by  a  fine  not  exceeding  five  hundred  dollars,  or  by  both." 


174  MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

Sec.  12.  The  state  mineralogist  may,  whenever  he  deems  it  advisable,  prepare  a 
special  collection  of  ores  and  minerals  of  California  to  be  sent  to  or  used  at  any 
world's  fair  or  exposition  in  order  to  display  the  mineral  wealth  of  the  state. 

Sec.  13.  The  state  mineralogist  is  hereby  empowered  to  fix  a  price  upon  and  to 
dispose  of  to  the  public,  at  such  price,  any  and  all  publications  of  the  state  mining 
bureau,  including  reports,  bulletins,  maps,  registers  or  other  publications,  such  price 
shall  approximate  the  cost  of  publication  and  distribution.  Any  and  all  sums 
derived  from  such  disposition,  or  from  gifts  or  bequests  made,  as  hereinbefore  pro- 
vided must  be  accounted  for  by  said  state  mineralogist  and  turned  over  to  the 
state  treasurer  to  be  credited  to  the  mining  bureau  fund  as  provided  for  in  section 
ten.  He  is  also  empowered  to  furnish  without  cost  to  public  libraries  the  publications 
of  the  bureau,  and  to  exchange  publications  with  other  geological  surveys  and 
scientific  societies,  etc. 

Sec.  14.  The  state  mineralogist  provided  for  by  this  act  shall  be  the  successor 
in  interest  of  the  board  of  trustees  of  the  state  mining  bureau,  and  the  state 
mineralogist,  under  and  by  virtue  of  that  certain  act,  entitled  "An  act  to  provide 
for  the  establishment,  maintenance,  and  support  of  a  bureau,  to  be  known  as  the 
state  mining  bureau,  and  for  the  appointment  and  duties  of  a  board  of  trustees,  to 
be  known  as  the  board  of  trustees  of  the  state  mining  bureau,  who  shall  have  the 
direction,  management,  and  control  of  said  state  mining  bureau,  and  to  provide  for 
the  appointment,  duties,  and  compensation  of  a  state  mineralogist,  who  shall  perform 
the  duties  of  his  office  under  the  control,  direction  and  supervision  of  the  board  of 
trustees  of  the  state  mining  bureau,"  approved  March  23,  1893,  and  all  books, 
papers,  documents,  personal  property,  records,  and  property  of  every  kind  and 
description  obtained  or  possessed,  or  held  or  controlled  by  the  said  board  of  trustees 
of  the  said  state  mining  bureau,  and  the  state  mineralogist,  and  the  clerks  and 
employees  thereof,  under  the  provisions  of  said  act  of  March  23,  1893,  or  any  act 
supplemental  thereto  or  amendatory  thereof,  shall  immediately  be  turned  over  and 
delivered  to  the  said  state  mineralogist  herein  provided  for,  who  shall  have  charge 
and  control  thereof. 

Sec.  15.  That  certain  act  entitled  "An  act  to  provide  for  the  establishment, 
maintenance,  and  support  of  a  bureau,  to  be  known  as  the  state  mining  bureau,  and 
for  the  appointment  and  duties  of  a  board  of  trustees,  to  be  known  as  the  board 
of  trustees  of  the  state  mining  bureau,  and  to  provide  for  the  appointment,  duties 
and  compensation  of  a  state  mineralogist,  who  shall  perform  the  duties  of  his  office 
under  the  control,  direction,  and  supervision  of  the  board  of  trustees  of  the  state 
mining  bureau,"  approved  March  23,  1893,  together  with  all  acts  amendatory 
thereof  and  supplemental  thereto  and  all  acts  in  conflict  herewith  are  hereby 
repealed. 


i 


APPENDIX.  175 

APPENDIX. 


PUBLICATIONS  OF  THE  CALIFORNIA  STATE  MINING 

BUREAU. 

Publications  of  this  Bureau  will  be  sent  on  receipt  of  the  requisite  amount.  Only 
stamps,  coin  or  money  orders  will  be  accepted  in  payment.  The  prices,  noted,  include 
delivery  charges  to  all  parts  of  the  United  States. 

Money  orders  should  be  made  payable  to  the  State  Mining  Bureau. 

Personal  checks  will  not  be  accepted. 

REPORTS. 
Asterisk  (*)  indicates  the  publication  is  out  of  print. 
•Report  I.     Henry  G.   Hanks.     1880. 

♦Report  II.  Henry  G.  Hanks.  1882. 
*  Report  III.  Henry  G.  Hanks.  1883. 
♦Report  IV.  Henry  G.  Hanks.  1884. 
♦Report  V.     Henry  G.  Hanks.     1885. 

•Report        VI.     Part  1.     Henry  G.  Hanks.     1886. 
♦Report        VI.     Part  2.     Wm.  Irelan,  Jr.     1886. 
♦Report      VII.     Wm.   Irelan,  Jr.      1887. 
♦Report    VIII.     Wm.   Irelan,  Jr.      1888. 
♦Report        IX.     AVm.   Irelan,  Jr.      1889. 
♦Report         X.     Wm.   Irelan,  Jr.     1890.  Price 

Report        XI.     Wm.  Irelan,  Jr.     1892.     (First  biennial) $1.00 

♦Report      XII.     J.  J.   Crawford.      1894.      (Second  biennial) 

♦Report    XIII.     J.  J.  Crawford.     1896.      (Third  biennial) 

Chapters  of   State  Mineralogist's   Report,   Biennial   period,    1913-1914,   Fletcher 
Hamilton  : 
Mines  and  Mineral  Resources  of  Imperial  and  San  Diego  Counties. — F.  J.  H. 

MerriU.     1914 .35 

♦Mines  and  Mineral  Resources,  Amador,  Calaveras  and  Tuolumne  Counties — 

W.   B.   Tucker,    1915 

Mines   and    Mineral    Resources,    Colusa,    Glenn,    Lake,    Marin,    Napa,    Solano, 

Sonoma  and  Yolo  Counties — Walter  W.  Bradley.     1915 .50 

Mines  and  Mineral  Resources,  Del  Norte,  Humboldt  and  Mendocino  Counties — 

F.  L.  LoweH.     1915 .25 

Mines  and  Mineral  Resources,  Fresno,  Kern,  Kings,  Madera,  Mariposa,  Mer- 
ced, San  Joaquin  and  Stanislaus  Counties — Walter  W.  Bradley,  G.  C.  Brown, 

F.  L..  Lowell  and  R.  P.  McLaughlin.     1915 .50 

Mines  and  Mineral  Resources,  Shasta,  Siskiyou  and  Trinity  Counties — G.  C. 

Brown.      1915 .50 

Report  XIV.     Fletcher  Hamilton,  1915,  Biennial  period  1913-1914.      (The  above 

county  chapters  combined  in  a  single  volume) ~ 2.00 

Chapters  of   State  Mineralogist's  Report,   Biennial  Period,    1915-1916,   Fletcher 
Hamilton  : 
Mines  and  Mineral  Resources,  Alpine,  Inyo  and  Mono  Counties,  with  geological 
map — Arthur   S.   Eakle,   Emile   Huguenin,   R.    P.    McLaughlin,   Clarence   A. 

Waring.     1917 1.25 

Same  as  above,  without  geological  map .65 

Mines  and  Mineral  Resources,  Butte,  Lassen,  Modoc,  Sutter  and  Tehama  Coun- 
ties— W.  Burling  Tucker,  Clarence  A.  Waring.     1917 .50 

Mines  and  Mineral  Resources,  El  Dorado,  Placer,  Sacramento  and  Yuba  Coun- 
ties— W.   Burling  Tucker,  Clarence  A.  Waring.     1917 .65 

Mines  and  Mineral  Resources,  Los  Angeles,  Orange  and  Riverside  Counties — 

Frederick   J.    H.   Merrill.     1917 .50 

Mines  and  Mineral  Resources,  Monterey,  San  Benito,  San  Luis  Obispo,  Santa 
Barbara  and  Ventura  Counties — Walter  W.  Bradley,  Emile  Huguenin,  C.  A. 

Logan,  Clarence  A.  Waring.     1917 .65 

Mines  and  Mineral   Resources,   San   Bernardino  and  Tulare  Counties — H.   C. 

Cloudman,  Emile  Huguenin,  F.  J.  H.  Merrill,  W.  Burling  Tucker     1917 .65 

Report  XV.     Fletcher  Hamilton,  1918,  Biennial  period,  1915-1916.      (The  above 

county  chapters  combined  in  a  single  volume) , 3.75 

Chapters    of    the     State    Mineralogist's     Report,     Biennial     Period     1917-1918. 
Fletcher  Hamilton  : 

Mines  and  Mineral  Resources  of  Nevada    County — Errol    MacBoyle.     1918 .75 

Mines  and  Mineral  Resources  of  Plumas   County — Errol   MacBoyle.     1918 .50 

Mines  and  Mineral  Resources  of  Sierra    County — Errol    MacBoyle.     1918 .50 

BULLETINS. 

♦Bulletin     1.     Desiccated  Human   Remains. — Winslow  Anderson,     1888 

♦Bulletin     2.     Methods  of  Mine  Timbering. — W.  H.  Storms.     1894 

♦Bulletin     3.     Gas  and  Petroleum  Yielding  Formations  of  the  Central  Valley  of 

California. — W.  L.  Watts.     1894 

♦Bulletin     4.     Catalogue   of   California   Fossils    (Parts   2,    3,    4   and   5). — J.    G. 

Cooper.     1894 

♦Bulletin     5.     The  Cyanide  Process:  Its  Practical  Application  and  Ecenomical 

Results.— A.   Scheidel.     1894 


176 


MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OP   CALIFORNIA. 


PUBLICATIONS    OF    THE    CALIFORNIA    STATE     MINING     BUREAU— Continued. 

Asterisk  (*)  indicates  the  publication  is  out  of  print.  Price. 

Bulletin     6.     California  Gold  Mill  Practices. — E.  B.  Preston.     1895 $0.50 

♦Bulletin     7.     Mineral   Production   of  California,   by   Counties,   1894. — Chas.   G. 

Yale.      (Tabulated    sheet) 

•Bulletin     8.     Mineral   Production  of  California,   by   Counties,   1895. — Chas.   G. 

Yale.      (Tabulated    sheet) 

•Bulletin     9.     Mine  Drainage,  Pumps,  etc. — Hans  C.  Behr.     1896 

♦Bulletin   10.     A    Bibliography    Relating    to    the    Geology,    Palaeontology,    and 

Mineral  Resources  of  California. — A.  W.  Vogdes.      1896 

♦Bulletin  11,     Oil  and   Gas  Yielding  Formations  of  Los  Angeles,  Ventura  and 

Santa  Barbara  Counties. — W.   L.  Watts.      1896 

♦Bulletin  12.     Mineral   Production   of  California,   by   Counties,    1896. — Chas.   G. 

Yale.     (Tabulated  sheet) 

♦Bulletin   13.     Mineral   Production   of  California,   by   Counties,    1897. — Chas.   G. 

Yale.     (Tabulated  sheet) 

♦Bulletin   14.     Mineral   Production   of   California,   by   Counties,    1898. — Chas.   G. 

Yale.     (Tabulated  sheet) 

Bulletin  15.     Map  of  Oil  City  Oil  Fields,  Fresno  County. — J.  H.  Means 

♦Bulletin  16.     The  Genesis  of  Petroleum  and  Asphaltum  in   California. — A.   S. 

Cooper.     1899 

♦Bulletin   17.     Mineral   Production  of  California,   by  Counties,    1899. — Chas.   G. 

Yale.      (Tabulated  sheet)   

♦Bulletin  18.     The  Mother  Lode  Region  of  California. — W.  H.  Storms.      1900 

♦Bulletin  19.     Oil   and  Gas  Yielding  Formations  of  California. — W.   L.   Watts. 

1900 

♦Bulletin  20.     Synopsis    of    General    Report    of    State    Mining    Bureau. — W.    L. 

Watts.     1900 

♦Bulletin  21.     Mineral   Production   of  California,  by   Counties,   1900. — Chas.   G. 

Yale.      (Tabulated  sheet) 

♦Bulletin  22.     Mineral  Production  of  California  for  Fourteen  Years. — Chas.  G. 

Yale.      1900.      (Tabulated  sheet) 

Bulletin  Reconnaissance  of  the  Colorado  Desert  Mining  District. — Stephen 

Bowers.     1901 

Bulletin  23.     The  Copper  Resources  of  California. — P.  C.  DuBois,  F.  M.  Ander- 
son, J.  H.  Tibbits,  and  G.  A.  Tweedy.      1902 $0.50 

♦Bulletin  24.     The  Saline  Deposits  of  California. — G.  E.   Bailey.      1902 

♦Bulletin  25.     Mineral   Production   of  California,   by   Counties^    1901. — Chas.   G. 

Yale.      (Tabulated  sheet)   

♦Bulletin  26.     Mineral   Production   of   California   for   Fifteen   Years. — Chas.   G. 

Yale.     1901.     (Tabulated  sheet) 

♦Bulletin  27.     The  Quicksilver  Resources  of  California. — Wm.  Forstner.     1903__     

♦Bulletin  28.     Mineral   Production   of  California,   by  Counties,    1902. — Chas.   G. 

Yale.      (Tabulated  sheet)   

♦Bulletin  29.     Mineral  Production   of   California  for   Sixteen   Years. — Chas.    G. 

Yale.     1902.      (Tabulated  sheet) 

♦Bulletin  30.     A  Bibliography  of  Geology,  Palaeontology,  and  Mineral  Resources 

of  California. — A.  W.  Vogdes.     1903 . 

♦Bulletin  31.     Chemical    Analyses    of    California    Petroleum. — H.     N.     Cooper. 

1903.     (Tabulated  sheet) 

♦Bulletin  32.     Production  and  Use  of  Petroleum  in  California. — P.  W.  Prutzman. 

1904  _-__ .25 

♦Bulletin  33.     Mineral   Production   of  California,   by  Counties,   1903. — Chas.   G. 

Yale.      (Tabulated  sheet)   

♦Bulletin  34.     Mineral  Production  of  California  for  Seventeen  Years. — Chas.  G. 

Yale.     1903.      (Tabulated  Sheet) 

♦Bulletin  35.     Mines  and  Minerals  of  California,  for  1903. — Chas.  G.  Yale.     1904. 

(Statistical)   

♦Bulletin  36.     Gold  Dredging  in  California.— J.  E.  Doolittle.     1905 

Bulletin  37.     Gems,  Jewelers'  Materials,  and  Ornamental  Stones  of  California. 

— George  F.  Kunz.     1905: 

First  edition   (without  colored  plates) .25 

♦Second  edition  (with  colored  plates) 

•Bulletin  38.     The    Structural    and    Industrial    Materials    of    California. — Wm. 

Forstner,  T.  C.  Hopkins,  C.  Naramore,  L.  H.  Eddy.     1906 

♦Bulletin  39.     Mineral  Production   of   California,   by  Counties,    1904. — Chas.   G. 

Yale      (Tabulated  sheet) 

♦Bulletin  40,     Mineral    Production    of    California    for    Eighteen    Years. — Chas. 

G.Yale.     1904.     (Tabulated  sheet) 

•Bulletin  41.     Mines    and    Minerals    of    California,    for    1904. — Chas.    G.    Yale. 

(Statistical)    

♦Bulletin  42.     Mineral  Production  of  California,  by  Counties.     1905. — Chas.  G. 

Yale.     (Tabulated  sheet) 

♦Bulletin  43.     Mineral  Production  of  California  for  Nineteen  Years. — Chas.  G. 

Yale.     1905.      (Tabulated  sheet) 

♦Bulletin  44.     Mines    and    Minerals    of    California,    for    1905. — Chas.    G.    Yale. 

(Statistical) 

♦Bulletin  45.     Auriferous  Black  Sands  of  California. — J.  A.  Edman.     1907 

Bulletin  46.     General  Index  to  Publications  of  the  State  Mining  Bureau. — Com- 
piled by  Chas.  G.  Yale.     1907 .30 

♦Bulletin  47.     Mineral   Production  of  California,   by  Counties,   1906. — Chas.   G. 

Yale.     (Tabulated  sheet) 

•Bulletin  4  8.     Mineral   Production  of   California  for  Twenty   Years. — Chas,   G. 

Yale.     1906.      (Tabulated  sheet) 


APPENDIX. 


177 


PUBLICATIONS    OF    THE    CALIFORNIA    STATE    MINING    BUREAU— Continued. 
Asterisk   (*)   indicates  the  publication  Is  out  of  print.  Price. 

•Bulletin  49.     Mines    and    Minerals    of    California,    for    1906. — Chas.    G     Yale 

(Statistical)   __     _ 

Bulletin  50.     The  Copper  Resources   of  California. — A.   HausJtiann,   J.   Krut't- 

^„  „     .      ,  schnitt,  Jr.,  W.  E.  Thorne,  J.  A,  Edman.     1908 $1.00 

•Bulletin  51.     Mineral    Production    of    California,    by    Counties,    1907. — D     H 

Walker.     (Tabulated  sheet) 

•Bulletin  62.     Mineral  Production  of  California  for  Twenty-one  Years. — D.  H 

Walker.     1907.     (Tabulated  sheet) 

•Bulletin  53.     Mineral  Production  of  California  for  1907,  with  County  Maps — 

D.  H.  Walker.     1908.     (Statistical) _     _ 

•Bulletin  54.     Mineral    Production    of    California,    by    Counties,    1908. — D.    H. 

Walker.      (Tabulated  sheet) 

•Bulletin  55.     Mineral  Production  of  California  for  Twenty-two  years. — D.  H. 

Walker.     1908.     (Tabulated  sheet) _ 

•Bulletin  56.     Mineral   Production   for   1908,    County  Maps,   and   Mining  Laws 

of  California. — D.H.Walker.     1909.     (Statistical) 

♦Bulletin  57.     Gold    Dredging   in    California. — W.    B.    Winston,    Charles   Janln. 

1910 

•Bulletin  58.     Mineral    Production    of    California,    by    Counties,    1909. — D.    H. 

Walker.     (Tabulated  sheet) 

•Bulletin  59.     Mineral  Production  of  California  for  Twenty-three  Years. — D.  H. 

Walker.     1909.     (Tabulated  sheet) 

•Bulletin  60,     Mineral   Production  for   1909,    County  Maps,   and   Mining  Laws 

of  California.— D.  H.  Walker.     1910.      (Statistical) 

♦Bulletin  61.     Mineral  Production  of  California,  by  Counties,  for  1910. — D.  H. 

Walker.     (Tabulated  sheet) 

♦Bulletin  62.     Mineral  Production  of  California  for  Twenty-four  Years. — D.  H. 

Walker.     1910.     (Tabulated  sheet) 

Bulletin  63.     Petroleum  in  Southern  California. — P.  W.  Prutzman.     1912 .75 

♦Bulletin  64.     Mineral  Production  for  1911. — E.  S.  Boalich,  Statistician.     1912__     

♦Bulletin  65.     Mineral  Production  for  1912. — E.  S.  Boalich.     1913 

♦Bulletin  66.     Mining  Laws  (United  States  and  California).     1914 

♦Bulletin  67.     Minerals  of  California. — A.   S.   Eakle.     1914 

•Bulletin  68.     Mineral  Productioh  for  1913. — E.  S.  Boalich.     1914 

•Bulletin  69.     Petroleum  Industry  of  California  with  Folio  of  Maps  (18x22  In.) 

— R.  P.  McLaughlin  and  C.  A.  Waring.     1914 2.00 

♦Bulletin  70.     Mineral  Production  for  1914,  with  Mining  Law  Appendix.     1915.     

♦Bulletin  71.     California  Mineral  Production  for  1915,  with  Mining  Law  Appen- 
dix and  Maps. — Walter  W.  Bradley.     1916 

Bulletin  72.     Geologic  Formations  of  California. — James  Perrin  Smith.     1917. 

(For  Map,  see  below) .25 

♦Bulletin  73.     Report  of  Operations  of  Department  of  Petroleum  and  Gas  for 

1915-1916.— R.  P.  McLaughlin,     1917 

Bulletin  74.     California   Mineral    Production   for    1916,    with   County   Maps. — 

Walter  W,  Bradley.     1917 : 

Bulletin  75.     Mining  Laws,  United  States  and  California.     1917 

Bulletin  76.     Manganese   and   Chromium   in   California, — ^Walter  W.    Bradley, 
Emile    Huguenin,    C.    A.    Logan,    W.    Burling    Tucker,    C.    A. 

Waring,      1918   .50 

Bulletin  77.     Catalogue   of   the   Publications   of   the    California   State    Mining 

Bureau,  1880-1917.— E.  S.  Boalich.     1918 

Bulletin  78.     Quicksilver  Resources  of  California. — Walter  W.  Bradley.     1918—    1.50 

Bulletin  79.     Magnesite  in  California.      (In  press) 

Bulletin  80.     Tungsten,  Molybdenum  and  Vanadium  in  California.      (In  prep- 
aration)         

Bulletin  81.     Copper  Resources  of  P^oothlll  Belt,  California.     (In  preparation) —     

Bulletin  82.     Second   Annual    Report    of    the    State   Oil    and    Gas    Supervisor, 

1916-1917.— R.  P.  McLaughlin.     1918 

Bulletin  83.     California   Mineral    Production   for    1917,   with   County   Maps. — 

Walter  W.  Bradley.     1918 

Bulletin  84.     Third  Annual  Report  of  the  State  Oil  and  Gas  Supervisor,  1917- 

1918. — R.  P.  McLaughlin,      1919 

Bulletin  85.     Platinum   Resources   of  California , _50 

Bulletin  86.     California   Mineral    Production    for    1918,    with   County   Maps. — 

Walter  W.  Bradley.     1919— ^ 

Bulletin  87.     Commercial  Minerals  of  California. — W.  O.  Castello.      (In  press)      

Bulletin  88.     California   Mineral    Production    for    1919,    with    County   Maps. — 

Walter  W.   Bradley.     1920_— 

PRELIMINARY  REPORTS. 

♦Preliminary  Report   No.    1.     Notes   on    Damage   by   Water   in    California   Oil 

Fields,  Dec,  1913.     By  R.  P.  McLaughlin —     

♦Preliminary  Report    No.    2.     Notes   on   Damage   by   Water   In    California   Oil 

Fields,  Mar.,  1914.     By  R.  P.  McLaughlin 

♦Preliminary  Report  No.  3.     Manganese  and  Chromium,  1917.     By  E.  S.  Boalich     

Preliminary   Report   No.    3.     Manganese   and   Chromium.     By   E.    S.    Boalich. 

(Second  edition) 

Preliminary  Report  No.  4,     Tungsten,  Molybdenum  and  Vanadium,  1918.     By 

E,  S,  Boalich  and  W.  O.  Castello 

Preliminary  Report   No.    5.     Antimony,   Graphite,    Nickel,    Potash,    Strontium, 

Tin,  1918.     By  E.  S.  Boalich  and  W.  O.  Castello 

Preliminary  Report  No.  6.     Review  of  Mining  in  California  during  1919_.:_*,^_     »^+_ 
Preliminary  Report  No.  7.     Clay  Industry  of  California _ — i-;^-  '■  ^^.j., 

12-4598 


178  MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF    CALIFORNIA. 

PUBLICATIONS    OF    THE    CALIFORNIA    STATE     MINING     BUREAU— Continued. 
REGISTERS  OF    MINES   WITH    MAPS. 

Asterisk   (*)   indicates  tlie  publication  is  out  of  print.  Price 

Amador  County * : $.25 

Butte  County .25 

♦Calaveras  County . 

*E1  Dorado  County 

♦Inyo  County 

♦Kern  County 

♦Lake  County 

♦Mariposa   County    

♦Nevada  County 

♦Placer  County 

♦Plumas  County 

♦San  Bernardino  County ' 

♦San  Diego  County 

Santa  Barbara  County .25 

♦Shasta  County 

♦Sierra  County 

♦Siskiyou  County 

♦Trinity  County 

♦Tuolumne  County 

Yuba  County .25 

Register  of  Oil  Wells  (with  map),  Los  Angeles  City .35 

OTHER    MAPS. 

♦California,  Showing  Mineral  Deposits  (50x60  in.) — mounted 

Forest  Reserves  in  California — 

Mounted .50 

Unmounted    .30 

♦Mineral  and  Relief  Map  of  California 

El  Dorado  County,  Showing  Boundaries  of  National  Forests .20 

Madera  County,  Showing  Boundaries  of  National  Forests .20 

Placer  County,  Showing  Boundaries  of  National  Forests .20 

Shasta  County,  Showing  Boundaries  of  National  Forests .20 

Sierra  County,  Showing  Boundaries  of  National  Forests .20 

Siskiyou  County,  Showing  Boundaries  of  National  Forests .20 

♦Trinity  County,  Showing  Boundaries  of  National  Forests 

Tuolumne  County,  Showing  Boundaries  of  National  Forests .20 

♦Mother  Lode  Region 

Desert  Region  of  Southern  California .10 

Minaret  Region,   Madera  County .20 

Copper  Deposits  in  California ,05 

Calaveras  County .25 

Lake  County 2 I.  .25 

Tuolumne  County .25 

Geological  Map  of  California  (mounted) — 50x60  inches 2.50 

Geological  Map  of  Inyo  County .60 

OIL  FIELDS  MAPS. 

The  following  maps  of  the  oil  fields  of. the  state  have  been  completed  and  placed 
on  sale : 

The  prices  of  the  maps  are  75  cents  per  copy,  with  the  exception  of  the  Sargent 
oil  map,  which  is  50  cents.     These  prices  include  postage. 
Map  No.     1 — Sargent.  Santa  Clara  County. 

Map  No.     2 — Santa  Maria,  including  Cat  Cailon  and  Los  Alamos. 
Map  No.     3 — Santa  Maria,   including  Casmalia  and   Lompoc. 
Map  No.     4 — ^Whittier-Fullerton,    including   Olinda,    Brea   Caiion,    Puente   Hills,   East 

Coyote,  and  Richfield. 
Map  No.     5 — Whittier-F*ullerton,  including  Whittier,  West  Coyote,  and  Montobello. 
Map  No.     6 — Salt  Lake,  Los  Angeles  County. 
Map  No.     7 — Sunset  and  San  Emidio,  Kern  County. 
Map  No.     8 — South  Midway   and   Buena  Vista  Hills,    Kern    County. 
Map  No.     9 — North  Midway  and  McKittfick,   Kern   County. 
Map  No.   10 — Belridge  and  McKittrick  Front,  Kern  County. 
Map  No.   11 — Lost   Hills   and  North  Belridge,   Kern   County. 
Map  No.  12 — Devils  Den,  Kern  County. 
Map  No.   13 — Kern  River,  K«rn  County. 
Map  No.   14 — Coalinga,  Fresno  County. 
Map  No.  15 — Elk  Hills.  Kern  County. 
Map  No.   16 — Ventura-Ojai,  Ventura  County. 
Map  No.   17 — Santa  Paula-Sespe  Oil  Fields,  Ventura  County. 
Map  No.  18 — (In  preparation). 
Map  No.  19 — Arroyo  Grande,  San  Luis  Obispo  County. 

DETERMINATION    OF    MINERAL   SAMPLES. 

Samples  (limited  to  three  at  one  time)  of  any  mineral  found  in  the  state  may  be 
sent  to  the  Bureau  for  identification,  and  the  same  will  be  classified  free  of  charge. 
No  samples  will  be  determined  if  received  from  points  outside  the  state.  It  must  be 
understood  that  no  assays  or  quantitative  determinations  will  be  made.  Samples 
should  be  in  lump  form  if  possible,  and  marked  plainly  with  name  of  sender  on  out- 
side of  package,  etc.  No  samples  will  be  received  unless  delivery  charges  are  prepaid. 
A  letter  should  accompany  sample,  giving  locality  where  mineral  was  found  and  the 
nature  of  the  information  desired. 


APPENDIX. 


179 


LAND 


SURFACE 


460  SQ.M 


Area  of  California,         153,650  sq.  miles 
«*      10  other  States,   153. 130  sq.  miles 


Outline  map  of  California,  showing  relative  areas  of  ten  other  states. 

Tlie  following  county  maps  show  all  towns,  post  offices,  railroads,  stage  lines,  and 
the  highways.  They  are  especially  valuable  to  all  who  wish  to  leave  the  railroad 
and  penetrate  to  the  interior  of  the  mining  districts  of  the  state.  These  maps  must 
not  be  reproduced  without  obtaining  permission  from  the  Mining  Bureau. 


180 


MINERAL   INDT^STRY    OF    CALIFORNIA. 


RELIEF  MAP  OF 


CAUFORNL 

Issud  by  the 

CALIFORNIA  STATE  MINING  BURE 


FLETCHER  HAMILTON 

State  Mineralogist 


z 
o 
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h 
< 

h 


STATE  loT  OREGON 


H16MWAYS 

•  Post  OrF/ces 
O  Onte^  n.AC£S 

(Sma//  f/forei    <^fno^e  a/f/tudfa) 


Scale  of  m/'/es. 

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State  Mining   Bureau -1916 


J82 


N3SSVn 


svkNnid 


VaVA3N 


184 


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187 


188 


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191 


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0 

P             1 

X 

INDEX. 


Page 

Alameda   County   142 

Map  of 189 

Alexander,  I.  W.,  cited 21-22 

Alpine  County 142 

Map  of 188 

Aluminum   35 

Amador  County 142 

Map  of 188 

Amblygonite    121 

American  Institute  of  Mining  Engi- 
neers, cited 36,  53 

Antimony 35 

Total  production 36 

Appendix   175 

Architectural    terra    cotta 108 

Arrowhead  Hot  Springs,  radioactiv- 
ity at 124 

Art  pottery 108 

Asbestos    103-105 

Classes   and   characteristics 104 

Total  production 105 

Asphalt 69 

Bailey,  G.  E.,  cited 124 

Balzari,  R.  A.,  et  al.,  cited—^ 18 

Barytes   105-106 

Total  production 106 

Ballast    98 

Bartlett  Springs 123 

Basalt 80 

Bauxite     35 

Beach  stones  (gems) 112 

Bell  Marble  Company  quarry 89 

Benitoite    113 

Bismuth   36 

From  blister  copper 36 

Bisque  doll  heads 108 

Bituminous  rock 69-70 

Total   production 70 

Bloodstone 112 

Borax 132-133 

Production,    1887-1919    133 

Brand  and  Stevens'  pumice 126 

Brick 70-73 

Production  of  various  kinds 72 

Total  production,   1893-1919 73 

Buckeye  Manganese  mine 47-48 

Building  stone.     (See  Granite,  Mar- 
ble, Sandstone,  etc.) 

Bulletins,   list   of 175 

Burchard,  E.  F.,  cited 1 111 

Burma,  production  of  tungsten  in_  64 

Butler,  B.  S.,  cited 122 

Butte  County 143 

Map  of 184 

Cadmium 36 

Calaveras  County 144 

Map  of 188 

California,  area  of 140,  179 

Graphite  Company 115 

Map    of,    showing   relative   areas 

of  ten  other  states 179 

Relief  map  of 180 

Californite 113 

Calistoga   'geysers'    124 

Camp  9  Power  House 10 

Canadian   magnesite 86 

Caplatzi   limestone   quarry 119 

Carizzo  Plains,   'salt  cake'  on 138 

Cement    73-75 

Potash  as  a  by-product  from 136 

Total   production 75 

Chalcedony    112 

Chicken  grit 110,  119 


Pagb 

Chromite 75-78 

Concentration  of 77 

Economic  condition  of 75 

Imports  of 76 

Occurrence    of    76 

Prices  of 77 

Total   production 78 

Chrysoprase 113 

Clay — pottery     106-108 

Production,    1887-1919    108 

Products 108 

Cloverdale  quicksilver  mine,  rotary 

furnace    at    56,  57 

Coal    15,  16 

Total  production  of 16 

Colemanite    132 

Columbia  Marble  Company  quarry.  90 

Colusa  County 144 

Map  of 185 

Concentration  of  chromite 77 

Of  molybdenum 52 

Quicksilver    , 59 

Tungsten   65 

Concrete,  rock  for 98 

Contra  Costa  County 145 

Map  of 187 

Copper 34,  37-38 

Flotation  concentration  of 38 

Leaching  of 38 

Production  1887-1919 38 

Cost  data  on  magnesite 84,  85 

.  On  power  in  the  oil  fields 19-21 

On  quicksilver 58 

Counties,  mineral  production.of_12,  140-171 

Crushed  rock 98,  100 

Cummings    manganese    lease 49,  50 

Cupro-descloizite    66 

Curbing   80 

Del  Norte  County 145 

Map  of 181 

Determination  of  mineral  samples.  178 

Diamonds 112 

Diatomaceous  earth 117 

Dividends  by  metal  producers 14 

By  oil  companies 31 

Dolbear,   S.   H,   cited 76 

Doll  heads,  bisque 108 

Dolomite    108 

Total   production 109 

Dredge  production  of  platinum 53 

Dredging,   gold,   decline   of 40 

El  Dorado  County 146 

Map  of 186 

Economic  situation  of  quicksilver —  58 
Electricity     vs.     natural     gas     for 

power    18-21 

Electric  smelting  of  ferro  alloys 44 

Electrolytic    zinc    plants 66 

Elk  Hills,  gas  in 17 

Exhibit  of  California  structural  ma- 
terials    2 

Faience  tile 108 

Feldspar 109-110 

Total  production 110 

Ferberite   64 

Ferro-chrome  by  electric  furnace 76 

Ferro-manganese     48 

By  electric  furnace 51 

Ferry     Building,     San     Francisco, 

Eureka  slate  on 93 

Filter  sand 97 

Fire-clay   107 


14-4598 


203 


INDEX. 


Page 

Fluorspar 111 

Foundry  core  sand 97 

Fresno  County 146 

Map    of    191 

Fresno     Rock    Products    Company 

plant 100 

Fuels 15-33 

Fuller's  earth 111-112 


Total   production 


Gas  (See  Natural  Gas). 
Gasoline  from  natural  gas. 

Exportation    of    

Shortage  of 


112 


22 
24 
24 

Gems    _„ 112-113 

Total  production 113 

Geysers  at   Calistoga 122 

California,    radioactivity   at 124 

Glass   sand   128 

Glenn  County 147 

Map  of 185 

Gold 39-44 

Dredging,  decline  of 40 

Outlook  for  1920 41 

Total  production 44 

War  effect  on 39 

Goodyear,  W.  A.,  cited 16 

Granite 78-81 

Production,    1887-1919 81 

Graphite 113-115 

Gravel    97 

Grinding  mill  pebbles 96-97 

Gypsum 116-117 

Total   production   117 

High-speed   steels 64 

Highway  construction 95 

Hill,  J.  M.,  cited 54 

House      Committee      Hearings     on 

magnesite    84,  85 

Hubnerite    64 

Huguenin,  Emile 125 

Humboldt  County 147 

Map  of 183 

Hydrocarbons   15-33 

Hydroelectric  power 10 

Imperial  County 148 

Map  of 199 

Industrial  materials 102-131 

Infusorial  earth 117-118 

Total  production 118 

Inyo  County 148 

Map  of 193 

Inyo  Marble  Company  quarry 91 

lone  lignite,  oil  from 16 

Iridium ^___ 44,  53,  54,  55 

Iron  ore 44 

Electric  smelting  of Z  44 

Total  production 45 


Jasper  

Jewelers'   materials    (See  Gems). 
Journal  of  Electricity,  cited 


Katz.  F.  J.,  cited 

Kern  County 

Map  of 

Kern  River  oil  field,  corrective 
measures  in 

Kings  County 

Map  of 

Kings  River  quarry 

Kunzite    

Ladd  mine,  manganese  production 
of 

Lake  County 

Map  of . 

Lassen  County 

Map  of 

Lassen  Peak 

Lawver,  A.  M.,  cited 


112 

18 

110 
149 
194 

29 
150 
192 

95 
113 


51 
150 
185 
151 
182 
165 

63 


Page 
Lead    45-46 

Production,  1887-1919 46 

Lepidolite    121 

Lignite 15,  16 

Oil  from 16 

Lime   81 

Limestone 118-121 

Total    value    lime    and   limestone 

1887-1919     121 

Lithia 121 

Lithopone     105 

Logan,  C.  A. 10,  89,  90 


Los  Angeles  County. 
Map  of 


151 
197 


Macadam 99 

Madera  County 152 

Map  of 190 

Magnesite    82-88 

Calcining  furnace 87 

Cost  data 84,  85 


87 


86 
133 


Duty  on 

Foreign   competition   in 

Imports  of 

Occurrence  of  

Paint,  on  Federal  Realty  Building 

Producing  districts 

Production  by  counties 

Production   1887-1919 

Refractories  plants 

Standardizing  domestic  product- 
Uses  of 

Values   of    

Magnesium   salts 

Manganese 46-51 

Imports  of,  from  Brazil 47 

Mine    photographs 47,  48,  49,  50 

Prices  of 47,  50 

Total  production 51 

Maps,  list  of,  various  counties 178 

Marble    88-90 

Production  1887-1919 89 

Marin  County 152 

Map  of 187 

Mariposa  County 153 

Map  of ___         190 

Mendocino  County 153 

Map  of 185 

Merced  County 154 

Map  of 190 

Metals 34-67 

Mica   122 

Middleton,   Jefferson,   cited 111 

Mineral  industry,  review  of 9 

Output,    1919    (tabulation) 11 

Output   by   counties 12,  140-171 

Output,  comparative  value,  1918- 

1919    11 

Paint    ____ 122-123 

Samples,  determination   of 178 

Water 123-125 

Production,  1887-1919 125 

Minerals,    total    production    of    by 

years 13 

Variety     of,     produced     in    Cali- 
fornia    10 

Mining  and  Scientific  Press,   cited.    14,  76. 

Mining  Bureau  Act 172-174 

Mint   reports,   cited 43,  63 

Miscellaneous  stone 94-101 

Modoc   County   154 

Map  of 182 

Molybdenum    51-52 

-  52 

154 

193 

155 

195 

80 

10 

97 

16 

166 

112 


Concentration   of 
Mono  County 

Map  of 

Monterey  County 

Map  of 

Monumental  stone 

Motor   trucks    

Moulding  sand 

Mount  Diablo  district, 

Shasta    

Myrickite 


coal  from — 


i 


INDEX. 


203 


Paqb 

Napa  County 155 

Map  of ^ 187 

Natomas    Company,    dredge   of 33,  53 

Natural   gas    17-22 

Gasoline  from 22 

Production,  1888-1919 18 

vs.  Electricity  for  power 18-21 

Nevada  County 156 

Map  of 186 

Nickel 52 

Nitrates 134 

Oil   (See  Petroleum). 

Fields,  electric  power  In 18-22 

Lands,   proved   33 

Onyx 90 

Orange  County 156 

Map  of 197 

Osmium    52,  54 

Osmiridium 53 

Palladium    54 

Paving   blocks    95-96 

Peat    15 

Pebbles  for  grinding  mills 96 

Peterson-Kartschoke     Brick     Com- 
pany plant : 71 

Petroleum 23-33 

Average   price   by   county,    1914- 

1919    25 

Dividends  from 36 

Financial  tables 29-32 

Operating  costs  by  fields 32 

Prices  by  fields 25 

Production,    1875-1919 26 

Production  and  value  by  counties  25 

Production  by  fields 27 

Production    of    light    and    heavy 

gravities    28 

Stability  of 29 

Statistics  of  well  operations 28 

Storage  of 29 

Yield  per  day  of  wells 32 

Phalen,  W.  C,  cited 87 

Phosphates    125 

Piedra  Rock  and  Sand  Company 94,  95 

Pipe  lines  for  gas  transportation 22 

Placer  County 157 

Map  of 186 

Platinum    53-55 

From  blister  copper 53 

Prices  of : 54 

Production  of,  1887-1919 55 

Plumas  County 158 

Map  of 184 

Porcelain 108 

Potash   135-136 

From  cement 136 

Total  production  of 136 

Pottery  clays 106-108 

Use  of  feldspar  in 110 

Power  costs  in  the  oil  fields 19-21 

Proved  oil  lands 33 

Publications    of    State   Mining   Bu- 
reau     175-178 

Pumice 125-126 

Pyrite    126-127 

Total  production 127 

Quartz    128 

Quicksilver    34,  56-61 

Concentration  of 59 

Duty  on 58 

Economic  situation  of 58 

Foreign  competition  in 58 

Furnaces,    new   56,  57,  60 

Outlook  for  1920 60 

Prices   56-57 

Production  by  counties 60 

Total  production 61 

Uses   of   59 


Radioactivity  of  hot  springs 

Randol,   J.   B.,  cited 

Red  shale 

Re-soiling  dredge  of  Natomas  Com- 
pany     

Rhodonite 

Riprap    

Riverside  County 

Map  of 

Roads,  construction  of 

Roofing  sand 

Stone  crushed  for 

Tile 

Rotary  quicksilver  furnace 

Rubble    


Page 

124 

61 

99 

39,40 

113 

98 

158 

199 

94 

97 

99 

108 

56 

98 


Sacramento  County 159 

Map  of 188 

Salines 132-139 

Salt 136-138 

Production,    1887-1919 138 

Samples,   determination  of 178 

San    Benito    County 159 

Map  of 195 

San  Bernardino  County 160 

Map  of 198 

San  Diego  County 161 

Map  of 199 

San  Francisco  County 161 

Map  of 189 

San  Joaquin  County 162 

Map  of 188 

San  Joaquin  Light  and  Power  Cor- 
poration    21,  22 

San  Luis  Obispo  County 162 

Early  chromite  shipments  from 78 

Map  of 196 

San  Mateo  County 163 

Map  of 189 

Sand,  glass 128 

Sand  and  gravel 97 

Sandstone    92 

Production,    1887-1919 92 

Sanitary   ware    108 

Santa  Barbara  County 163 

Map  of 196 

Santa  Clara  County ' 164 

Map  of 189 

Santa  Cruz  County 164 

Map  of 189 

Schaller,  W.  T.,  cited 122 

Scheelite 64 

Serpentine    92-93 

Sewer  pipe 108 

Shasta  County 165 

Map  of 183 

Sierra    and    San    Francisco    Power 

Company 10 

Sierra  County 165 

Map  of 184 

Silica    127-128 

Total   production 128 

Silver    62-63 

Production  of.  by  counties 62 

Production    1880-1919 63 

Siskiyou  County 166 

Map  of 181 

Slate 93 

Production,  1889-1919 93 

Soapstone    129 

Total  production 129 

Soda 138-139 

Total   production   of 139 

Solano  County 167 

Map  of 187 

Sonoma  County 167 

Map  of 1 187 

Sorel  cement 83 

Spelter.      (See  Zinc). 

Spiegeleisen .. 48 

Stanislaus  County 168 

Map  of 190 


204 


l^fDEX. 


Page 
State    Mineralogist's    Reports,    list 

of 175 

Mining:  Bureau  publications,  list_175-178 

Stone,  miscellaneous 94-101 

Production  by  counties 101 

Production  by  years 100 

Stoneware   108 

Strontium 130 

Structural  materials 68-101 

Exhibit  of 2 

Sulphur    131 

Sutter  County 168 

Map  of 187 

fpa^jfi 129 

Teasdale,   C.   H.,  ~cited"III-_«ZIZZ  111 

Tehama  County 168 

Map  of ^ 183 

Terra  cotta 108 

Terazzo 119 

Tesla   coal    mine ., 16 

District,  manganese  in 51 

Tile 70,  72 

Tin 63 

Cadmium   substituted  for 37 

Tourmaline 112,  113 

Trachytic  tuflf 80 

Travertine 90 

Treanor,  John,  cited 111 

Trinity  County 169 

Iridium   from 54 

Map  of 183 

Tube  mill  pebbles 96 

Tulare  County 169 

Map  of 192 

Tulare  Lake  district,  natural  gas  in  17 


PAGE 

Tungsten 34,  64-65 

Concentration  of ^ 65 

Total   production 65 

Tuolumne   County 170 

Map  of 188 

United    States    Bureau    of    Mines, 

cited   87 

Commerce   Reports,    cited 64 

Department  of  Agriculture,  cited_  134 

Geological   Survey,   cited 

16,     37,     41,     42,    43,     45,     48. 

53,    54,    62,    64,    110,    111,    114 

Tariff  Commission,  cited 59 

Vanadium 65 

Veatch,  J.  A.,  discovery  of  borax  by  132 

Ventura  County 170 

Map  of 197 

Volcanic    ash    125 

Well  flowing  10,000  barrels  of  oil_  27 

Western  Mercury  Company  plant 57 

Whiting    120 

Witherite 105 

Wolframite   64 

Yale,  Chas.'  G.,  cited 41,  42,  43,  62 

Yolo  County 171 

Map  of 187 

Yosemite  Valley 153 

Yuba   County 171 

Map  of 186 

Zinc     66-67 

Plants,  electrolytic 66 

Total  production 67 


^ 


4598      10-20      5M 


THIS  BOOK  IS  DUE  ON  THE  LAST  DATE 
STAMPED  BELOW 


AN  INITIAL  FINE  OF  25  CENTS 

WILL  BE  ASSESSED  FOR  FAILURE  TO  RETURN 
THIS  BOOK  ON  THE  DATE  DUE.  THE  PENALTY 
WILL  INCREASE  TO  SO  CENTS  ON  THE  FOURTH 
DAY  AND  TO  $1.00  ON  THE  SEVENTH  DAY 
OVERDUE. 


6. 


lit.  JRH  ^  1-  ^-^^ 

JAN  4    1363 


JUN30  1981 


JUN.^igas 


JUN30\ 


JUN  3  0  1984 

JUN  30  1985 
JUN  oO  1986 


RECEIVED 

NOV     i)  1986 

PHYS  SCI  LIBRARY 


25w-7,'53(A8998s4)458 


iilJk?. 


"5^alf^rid.a.  Department 
I  of  natural  resoxirces 
1  Division  of  mines> 

PHYSICAL 
SCIENCES 
LIBRARY 


Call  Number: 

TN2U 

C3 

A3 

no« 87-88 

C3 
A3       ^ 


LIBRARY 

BMXVSKSITY  OF  CKLVr<XSll. 

PAVU 

113349 


3  1175  00488  8700 


